Wilmetta Jean "Willie" Powell

Wilmetta “Willie” Jean Powell, 93, of St. Paul, passed away on March 10, 2026, at Good Samaritan Society Skilled Care in Grand Island. Born in 1933 in Burchard, Nebraska, to Elmer and Elsie (Schuetz) Siske, she graduated from Lewiston High School in 1950. On September 1 of that same year, she married Burgess Eugene Powell, Sr. The couple moved to St. Paul in 1963, where they raised their family and built their home together.

Willie was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother whose quiet strength and steadfast love shaped the lives of those around her. She is survived by her children, Deb (Tom) Grim, Kathy (Roger) Kassebaum, and Burgess Jr. (Ginger) Powell; five grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Burgess; her siblings, Loren Siske, Glenn Siske, and Delores Seeman; and her grandson, Nathan Kassebaum.