It is with great sadness that the family of Ana Maria Imelda Casillas Navarro-Powell announces her passing on January 23, 2023.

 

Ana Maria was born in Guadalajara, Mexico where she grew up with her mother, father, and nine brothers and sisters. During this time, Ana Maria was very active in Mexican folkloric dancing. She spent time working in the banking industry before embarking on a career in high-end kitchen design. Ana Maria also enjoyed traveling around the world with her five closest friends. It was during this time that Ana Maria met the love of her life, John Powell.

 

John and Ana Maria were introduced by mutual friends and met at a Rotary Club event in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. In no time, John and Ana Maria had fallen deeply in love and decided to get married. They were married in 2005 in Guadalajara and spent a number of years living in Mexico while they generously volunteered their time to many Rotary causes. In 2009, John and Ana Maria moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

 

On September 3, 2014, Ana Maria was elated when she attained her Canadian Citizenship. She worked in the retail industry before accepting a position as a kitchen designer at Home Depot, a job she was very passionate about. Together with John, Ana Maria was very active in the Austin-Healey Club of Manitoba where she forged many lasting friendships. Her sparkling and joyful personality, kindness, and thoughtfulness endeared her to everyone, and she will be very much missed. She was able to realize a lifelong dream of owning her own home in Canada with a yard and a garden when she and John purchased their home in 2019. Ana Maria loved sharing Mexican cooking. She enjoyed entertaining, spending time with friends, and listening to Mexican music. 

 

Ana Maria was predeceased by a brother and sister, her mother and father. She is survived by her husband John, her step-children Bill (Michelle), David, and Carol (Rick), four granddaughters, and a great-grandson.

 

The family would like to thank the 4th-floor north staff at St. Boniface Hospital for their care and compassion towards both Ana Maria and John during her hospital stay. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ana Maria's name to Cancer Care Manitoba.

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Ana Maria's family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by watching the photo-biography above. Please, also consider sharing your own photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.