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Clair Powers
CLAIR POWERS
Iowa City
Clair A. Powers, 89, longtime resident of Iowa City, died Saturday, March 26, 2016, in Colorado Springs, where he has been living to be near his daughter.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service, with burial to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery where military honors will be provided. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday and after 9:30 a.m. until services Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his memory to Mercy Hospital Foundation.
Online condolences may be sent for his family through the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com.
Clair Ambers Powers was born April 12, 1926, in Iowa City, the son of Lewis A. and Wilhelmina E. (Wieske) Powers. He attended Iowa City schools, graduating from City High School with the class of 1944 and later from the University of Iowa with his Bachelor of Arts degree. During World War II, after graduation from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served for two years. In 1950, he became one of the first group of men drafted from Johnson County and served in the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean War.
On June 27, 1951, he married Louise M. Sorensen in Iowa City. Clair worked for the former Iowa State Bank & Trust Co. (now MidWest One Bank) for many years, retiring as vice president in 1991.
He was a lifelong and active member of First United Methodist Church in Iowa City and also belonged to the Elks Lodge and American Legion.
Clair was an avid University of Iowa Hawkeye fan and attended many Hawkeye wrestling meets, as well as other Hawkeye sports.
His family includes his daughter, Mary Beth Powers of Colorado Springs; sister, Wilma Gower of Hattiesburg, Miss.; sisters-in-law, Helen "Parky" Sorensen of Hills, Leona Pelechek of Marion, Lois Seemuth (Bob) of Iowa City and Jane Sorensen of South Pasadena, Calif.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Louise, in 1992; and siblings, Lewis, John, Vern, Russell, Evelyn and Lester.
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