Mary Anne Powers

Mary Annette (Ritchie) Powers died February 5, 2025, at home, shortly after being diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). She passed peacefully, at the age of 75, surrounded by her husband, children, and mother.

 Mary Anne was born in Pasadena, CA on November 14, 1949 to George and Inez Ritchie.  When she was 2 ½ years old, the Ritchie family moved to Oklahoma City, OK, and then to Anchorage, AL, where her father had accepted a job. In 1956, the family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where a family friend had started a new church, Peninsula Bible Church. From a very early age, Mary Anne was smart, responsible, adventurous, and giving; and she lived each day to the fullest.

Her most significant decision as a child was to follow Jesus Christ. She demonstrated her faith throughout her life and showed God’s love by always serving others. She knew her days on this Earth were predetermined, known only to her Heavenly Father, and that one day she would be welcomed into God’s heavenly kingdom.

When Mary Anne was 16 years old, she visited Hawaii during summer break to babysit four young cousins.  It was on this trip that she met Tom Powers, the man who would become her husband. The two stayed in touch after Mary Anne returned home, and continued to correspond over the next 7 years.

After high school, Mary Anne moved to Santa Barbara, California, to attend Westmont College, a private Christian liberal arts college. She earned a degree in Social Science and obtained her Teaching Credentials.

In 1973, Mary Anne and Tom got married. They moved to Napa, California, where they had a daughter and two sons. Their family grew even more when they welcomed foster children into their home, including three sisters who became part of the Powers family.

Mary Anne taught at Napa Valley Christian School early in her career and then later worked as a Kindergarten teacher at Salvador Elementary School. She was dedicated to helping her students grow into lifelong learners. Throughout her life, she collected a wonderful assortment of children’s books, organized into many different subjects.

Mary Anne worked hard to make Napa a better place and everyone who knew her could tell stories of her patience and generosity. She volunteered her time to local PTAs and nonprofit organizations such as COPE and 40 Days for Life. When she was younger, she provided English tutoring to the wives of Japanese Airlines (JAL) pilots and, later in her life, Foster and Kinship Care Education at Napa Valley College.  Mary Anne and Tom also sponsored a child from Tanzania in East Africa, through Compassion International. In 2019, they were thrilled to have the opportunity to travel to Africa and meet him.

Grace Church of Napa Valley has been a central aspect of Mary Anne and Tom’s life since they moved to Napa. Over the years, they have developed close friendships and become an integral part of the church community.  Mary Anne has taught Sunday School to young children, and volunteered for Grace Church’s AWANA program and Vacation Bible School.

Even after her adult children had grown and started their own families, spreading out across California, and as far as Oregon and Indiana, she and Tom maintained strong relationships with their children and grandchildren. They drove across the country for visits, planned annual family camping trips, and enjoyed weekly Zoom calls.  She also made it a tradition to visit and treat her grandsons, whom she adored, to a big cup of frozen yogurt for their birthday. Although her family had been separated by distance, Mary Anne was a strong thread that kept them connected. She will be deeply missed.

Mary Anne is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, Tom; as well as her children Laura (Devin) Jones, Rosa (Chris) Solgat, Brian (Joanne) Powers, Greg (Candy) Rodgers-Powers, Annie (Jason) Holcombe, Jack-Lynn (Jack) Caperton; 13 grandsons; her mother, Inez Ritchie; and 3 siblings (Carolyn Ritchie, Jana (Glenn) Bridges, John (Heidi) Ritchie). She is preceded in death by her father, George Ritchie.

A memorial celebration will be held Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 2pm at Grace Church of Napa Valley, 3765  Solano Ave, Napa, CA 94558.  Reception to follow. Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent to Compassion International or Imagination Library.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

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