Louise Ann Bentlage Powell

Louise Ann Bentlage Powell (Lou Ann) of Raleigh, NC passed away April 20, 2020.  She was born in Bellefonte, PA on December 5, 1958, the daughter of the late Erwin Louis Bentlage and the late Lois Jean Mosca Bentlage of Owego, NY. She was married 32 years to David Raymond Powell. Lou Ann developed brain cancer and fought through more than 24 months of treatment without a cross word or complaint.

Lou Ann earned her BSN in Nursing from Plattsburgh State University in NY and moved to Raleigh in 1982 to work at Wake Medical Center. She began her nursing career in cardiology, later transferring to 5C Med-Surg where she was unit Preceptor and later Supervisor, and earned her MSN in nursing from UNC in 1997. She was also Certified in Med-Surg. While at WakeMed, she developed the nursing career progression platform, began the Picc-line program, and established the infectious disease unit. She was on the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) committee and her floor was named a JCAHO “Model Unit.” In 1997 she was inducted into the “Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina.” In late 2000 Lou Ann paused her nursing career to raise her twin children.

She returned to work as a floor nurse in Med-Surg, and then began working as a part-time Clinical Nurse Instructor for the Nursing School at Wake Technical Community College in 2003. In 2013 she became a full-time instructor and later became an Assistant Professor of Nursing, which was her dream job that she loved. She reluctantly resigned her post when she became too ill to work.

In high school in Owego, NY, Lou Ann was a majorette in the marching band, played piano, enjoyed cross-country skiing and ice skating, and was an exchange student to Germany her senior year. Her knowledge of German gave her the opportunity to be a translator at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. She hardly ever turned down the opportunity for fun; playing golf, downhill skiing, and making two trips to Germany to visit extended family. Lou Ann helped with various house remodeling projects, was fairly skilled with a miter saw, and was a good cook. She was a Girl Scout leader, a Den Mother for Cub Scout pack 374 where she earned her “polar bear,” active with her son’s soccer teams, and a stablehand for her daughter’s horse.

She attended Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh.

Lou Ann is survived by:

Her Husband

David Raymond Powell of Raleigh, NC

Her Children

Innis Raymond Powell and Virginia Elizabeth Powell both of Raleigh, NC

Four Brothers

Mark Bentlage and wife Susan of Johnson City, NY

Jim Bentlage and wife Sue of Jericho, VT

Rudy Bentlage and wife Linda of Copley, OH

Dave Bentlage and wife Cathy of Raleigh, NC

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

For memorials please consider the Lou Ann and Dave Powell Scholarship for Nursing Excellence, c/o Wake Tech Foundation, 9101 Fayetteville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603.

Online condolences may be directed to www.powellfuneralinc.com.

Arrangements are by: Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1603 Wilborn Ave., South Boston, VA 24592.