Portland - Geraldine Dolan Powers passed away peacefully at her home in Portland, OR, on February 13, 2026.

Geraldine (Jean) Dolan Powers was born January 4, 1936, to Mary and Jeremiah Dolan in the Irish Catholic Borough of Washington Heights, New York. Jean was the third of four children. She attended St. Catherine's Catholic Parish and grade school and graduated from St. Catherine's Catholic School for Young Women.

In 1961, she married Edward William Powers of Lockport, NY, whom she met while working at American Airlines. They built a loving marriage that spanned 64 years. They raised four children: Edward J. Powers of Sarasota, FL; Eileen Powers of Andover, MA; Thomas Powers of Riverview, FL; and Scott Powers of Portland, OR. She was a devoted grandmother to nine grandchildren: Colleen, Grant, Molly, Eduardo, Emily, Erin, Roberto, Owen, and Cooper; and a great-grandmother to Sawyer.

She loved her children and grandchildren fiercely, taking a deep interest in their lives. To be in Jean's orbit was to be cared for. She was a loyal friend and a steady presence, someone who showed up for others with quiet generosity.

Jean was a person of deep faith, which guided her throughout her life. She was active in the Catholic parishes of every community she called home, and for the past 20 years, Saint Andrew Parish in Portland, OR, was her spiritual home. Her faith was expressed most clearly in how she lived — through service, works of justice, loyalty, and care for others.

Jean was a relationship builder. She formed loving communities wherever she landed, from New York to Andover, MA, to Rye, NH, and finally for the past 20 years in Portland, OR. She met people where they were and had a way of making them feel known. It was not uncommon for someone she had met only once to greet her like an old friend. Her capacity for connection was one of the great blessings of her life.

Her professional life began after her last child started pre-school. She earned her bachelor's degree from Salem State College, a Master's Degree in Education from Boston University, and an advanced degree from the University of Massachusetts. She went on to teach business at Northern Essex Community College for 25 years, retiring as an Associate Dean. Her pursuit of education reflected her belief in lifelong growth and perseverance.

Jean's commitment to service extended well beyond her professional life. She volunteered as an elder peer counselor, served as an Elder Jesuit Volunteer, and gave her time to the local food pantry. A breast cancer survivor, Jean also volunteered at the Providence Hospital Cancer Center in Portland, offering encouragement and support to others facing a cancer diagnosis and treatment. As she had throughout her life, she turned to her own experience as an opportunity to give back. She believed deeply in service and was always willing to help anyone in need.

She will be remembered for her steadfast faith, her generosity of spirit, her love of family, and the many lives she touched through friendship and service.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Jean's memory to Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest at jvcnorthwest.org/donation-form/.

A Funeral Mass will be held on March 7, 2026, at 10 a.m. at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 806 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR. A luncheon will follow at the parish community center.