Our mom, Patricia Ann (Sinkie) Powell, died on Sept. 1, 2026, at her home in Sioux Falls. Visitation with the family present will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls. Her funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, also at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Hope Cemetery in Wessington Springs. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Avera Cancer Institute—Avera Foundation, Box 5045, Sioux Falls, SD 57117, in Pat’s name.
Pat was born May 29, 1942 to Arnold “Arno” and Jennie (Durfey) Sinkie in Miller. She was the fourth child in a family of five children.
Patricia Ann Sinkie married Almit Lynn Powell, the love of her life, on Aug. 7, 1960. They were inseparable and celebrated almost 66 years of marriage. They had two children, Robin Lynn in 1961 and Scott Wade in 1962, both of Sioux Falls. They have four wonderful grandchildren, Alyssa, Shelby, Abby and Alexander, and eight great-grandchildren. Pat’s love for her family was deep, and her compassion was endless.
To get to country school during her youth, Mom walked or rode bike, and in the winter her dad or grandpa would drive Mom and her siblings in a wagon with a team of horses. She then attended Wessington Springs High School for a short time. She graduated from Stewart Beauty School. After graduation she worked in a local beauty shop in Aberdeen. Our dad built her “Pat’s Beauty Shop” for her to be able to work from home and be close to her children. When we came home from school, Mom was always there to greet us with a smile and a list of chores. Pat’s Beauty Shop followed her to Sioux Falls, where she was once again the neighborhood stylist. She did it all, from lashes to nails.
After she closed her beauty shop, she then went to work for JC Penney and worked in the store room. She retired from there and started her own cleaning business called “Pat’s Cleaning Service.” When she closed down her cleaning business, she then went to work at Hy-Vee as a “food demo” person in the meat department. Mom loved her job at Hy-Vee; this allowed her to visit and see many of her friends. Mom, like Dad, loved to work and stay busy.
Mom enjoyed reading her mystery/suspense books and watching her favorite shows with our dad. She was an avid gardener and spent much time outside in the summer. One of her greatest passions was dancing and music. She was sad when the local Moose Lodge closed and impacted their dancing dates.
Mom loved making her homemade bread and canning pickles for the annual Turkey hunting trip. She challenged herself every year to make the pickles “hotter” and “hotter” for the hunters. Whenever she made her bread, there was always time for a fried fritter, which were always amazing.
Mom was the travel agent and family planner. She is the one who started us all on the summer weekend camping trips. When the camping stopped, she then planned annual trips for her and our dad. They traveled to Texas, Mexico, Nevada, Alaska and their favorite, Hawaii.
Pat is survived by her children Robin and Scott; four grandchildren Alyssa, Shelby, Abby and Alexander; and a sister, Bonnie Clemetson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn, her parents, Arno and Jenny Sinkie, a sister, Maxine Blauvelt, two brothers, Donald Henson and Richard Sinkie, and many family and friends.
Celebrate a life with the whole community in The Dakota Scout. Contact [email protected] to have your loved one remembered today.
