Mrs. Eleanor McLaughlin Powers, age 85, of Lumberton, passed away on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton. She was born in Robeson County on March 15, 1927 to the late John Henry McLaughlin and Beulah Mae Smith McLaughlin.

Mrs. Powers was an avid gardener and enjoyed reading, traveling and square dancing. She was a retired nurse from Southeastern Regional Medical Center and a dedicated member of Rozier Baptist Church and Barker Ten Mile Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, Earl J. Powers, Sr. and William Powers; her son, Gary Powers; her brothers, John and Pope McLaughlin and her sister, Juanita Adkins.

Mrs. Powers is survived by her son, Earl J. Powers, Jr. and wife, Betty of Lumberton, NC; a daughter, Marie Powers Stone and husband, Grady of High Point, NC; a daughter-in-law, Sally Powers of Lumberton; a brother, Earl McLaughlin of Stedman, NC; three sisters, Dorothy Beaver of Chicago, IL, Shirley Sims of Bryceville, FL and Linda Bernicki of Lumberton, NC; seven grandchildren, Tina Powers, Keri Norton, Ken Powers, Bryan Stone, Jeremy Stone, Stefanie Powers and Bradley Powers and nine great-grandchildren.

A time of visitation will be held on Friday, March 30, 2012 from 6:00-8:00PM at Floyd Mortuary & Crematory, Inc., 809 East 5th Street, Lumberton.

A funeral service will be held at Rozier Baptist Church in Lumberton on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 11:00AM with Rev. Floyd Helms and Rev. Merle Martin officiating. Burial will follow in Meadowbrook Cemetery in Lumberton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Rozier Baptist Church, 2582 Rozier Church Road, Lumberton, NC 28358.