Beverly Ann Power

September 11, 1937 - August 16, 2020

Beverly Ann (Dupre) Power, 82, of Franklin Grove, IL, surrounded by her loving family, died on Sunday, August 16, 2020 at Serenity Hospice in Oregon, IL. Bev was born September 11, 1937 in New Orleans, LA, the eldest daughter of Jean-Claude and Agnes (Barrios) Dupre. She graduated from Holy Savior High School in Lockport, LA and raised 3 children with her husband, Martin, while completing her degree in Education at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston before becoming an educator, civic & civil servant, child advocate and volunteer serving the people of Lee County, her family and the world. Bev was united in marriage to Martin G Power on May 26, 1956 in New Orleans, LA and he preceded her in death on July 12, 1995. She was a longtime member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Dixon where she served as a lector and was very active in its Loaves & Fishes Ministry among other things for the parish. Bev worked over the years as a teacher and/or librarian for Dixon CSD 170, Lee Center CSD 271 and Ashton CSD 275, where she spent 16 years, and was elected and reelected to the Lee County Board, where she served 14 years. Bev also served on the Library and Cemetery Boards of Franklin Grove and was a member of the local chapters of P.E.O. and Kiwanis International in addition to her volunteer work, which among other things, included, serving as a Court-appointed special advocate (CASA) for children and being a Global Volunteer, sharing herself with the world and those experiences with the community while instilling a broader sense of the same and its people within her grandchildren that she would periodically enlist to volunteer abroad with her. Bev is survived by her children: Gregory Power of Playa Vista, CA; Ann Wildman of Monticello, IL; Jon (Tracie) Power of Sterling; her grandchildren: Victoria (Firas) Arfaoui; Patrick, Katherine & Brandon Wildman; Jonathan Power; Lauren & Olivia McCue and three great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Theresa (Alex) Breaux and sisters-in-law, Shirley Power, Arvella Dupre & Gail Dupre, all of Louisiana, along with a good number of nieces and nephews and members of their families. Bev is preceded in death by her husband, Martin Power; her parents, Agnes & Jean-Claude Dupre; her parents-in-law, Vivian & Michael Power, Sr.; her two brothers, Lee Dupre & Richard Dupre; her brother-in-law, Michael Power, Jr.; her son-in-law, Michael Wildman; a granddaughter, Danielle Justine Power and a grandson, Kevin Nicolas Power. As cremation rites have been accorded and burial of cremains will take place in Franklin Grove Cemetery there will be no Funeral Mass at St. Patrick’s. A memorial to St Patrick Catholic Church in Dixon has been established.