Proud to be John Powers’ Sister
Despite being his older sister, everyone in town always asked me if I was John Powers’s sister. I always grumbled a response like, “No, John Powers is my little brother.” He was the baby in our family, number 4, so cool, a jokester, spoiled, and mama’s clear favorite. All he would have to do was flash that grin, and she couldn’t resist him. In fact, he had that effect on most women!
John enjoyed his youth and never said “no” to a good time. He was diagnosed with melanoma as a teenager. It seemed like a blip on the radar. They cut it out, and we all moved on.
A few years later he noticed a lump in his leg that he wanted nothing to do with. He ignored it for a long while, until he couldn’t any longer. All the while, he grew into a wonderful man who loved history, politics, cooking, good music, and his family – especially being an uncle. He worked in a few topnotch kitchens as a promising sous chef and at the local historical society. When he finally received his sarcoma diagnosis, he faced it bravely and fought.
John underwent all the typical treatments until they amputated his leg at the hip. Somehow, John even made that look cool. He’d reassure and amuse kids who were frightened by his appearance with tall tales of bear or shark attacks. He earned a fitting new nickname, “IHOP.” He competed in tough mudder races and pushed himself physically. He enjoyed a brief reprieve, anxiously awaiting his prosthetic leg, but the cancer wasn’t done.
In the last several months of his life he began to study the Bible and attend church. He was a new Christian. AMEN! He fell asleep 10 days after his 30th birthday and presently lives with the Lord Jesus Christ awaiting the great resurrection.
Today I am so proud to be John Powers’ sister. I’d give anything for someone to ask me that now. I’d yak their ear off about how brave he was, loving, kind, magnanimous and larger than life. He is a dearly, dearly loved and missed son, brother, uncle and friend.
Bonnie Silcox
John Ryan Powers is forever honored and remembered by Flower #50 in the Seasons of Life art installation.
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