Brooklyn Park Community Mourns Former Mayor Grace Powelson
The Brooklyn Park community is mourning the loss of a leader who recently passed away.
Grace Powelson, formerly Grace Arbogast, died on Dec. 13. She was 87-years-old.
She was mayor of Brooklyn Park after Jesse Ventura in the 1990s, and served through the early 2000s.
“She was kind and gentle, but she was strong — and she led with the community always in mind. It was never about her,” said former Brooklyn Park Mayor Lisa Jacobson, who worked on Powelson’s re-election campaign.
She called Powelson a “mentor,” a “friend,” and “servant-leader.”
Former Brooklyn Park Mayor Grace Powelson, then Grace Arbogast, speaks during a council meeting.
Jacobson recommended that anyone considering a run for office consider Powelson’s example.
“If you ever want to run for office, you know, what would Grace do?” Jacobson said. “She did it because she saw a need for someone to get in there, to lead for the community, to be the voice of the neighbors.”
Jacobson, who shared a birthday with Powelson, said she’d want to remembered for “her love for her family, her deep love for her community, for her friends.”
Powelson’s visitation and funeral service is on Dec. 23.
