Teresa R. "Tess" Powell Obituary (1949 - 2020)

Teresa Rae "Tess" Powell, 71, of Bloomington, passed away Friday, April 24, 2020 in Peoria. Teresa Royal was born March 16 1949 in Urbana IL to Robert J. and Helen Sarafoff Royal. Tess graduated Gibson City High School in 1967. She married Edwin "Ed" Powell on October 9, 1992. Tess leaves behind her husband, Ed of Bloomington; daughter, Andrea (Clark) Ingwersen East Peoria; sons, Deron (Kristi) Powell, Lincoln and Eric Powell, San Francisco, CA; grandchildren, Reid, Carly, Lauren, Haley, Bowen, Emilee and Max; one great-grandchild, Kaiden; and her brothers Tom (Char) Royal of Mattoon, Tracy (Kris) Royal and Ty (Kara) Royal, both of Gibson City. Tess was an X-Ray technician and Escrow Officer for many years in the Bloomington Normal area. She was known for her beautiful smile and was an award winning pianist. She loved being outdoors and walking her beloved miniature dachshund, Priscilla. Tess was an avid cyclist and golfer. She also played competitive softball and volleyball for many years. She was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and loved going to concerts. Tess was diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia in 2010 and stayed at home with her husband as her caretaker until 2015. Many years after her diagnosis, even after losing her ability to speak, she could still play piano and would flash her beautiful smile when she heard music. Her family would like to thank her many caregivers. A gathering to celebrate her life will be announced at a later date. Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington, is assisting the family with cremation arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.