By Dennis Young, with family notes
Delia grew up in the St. James area with her parents, Parry and Frankie, and five siblings. At St. James Collegiate, she was heavily involved in student council and the yearbook committee, performed in high school musicals and was rightfully named valedictorian.
Delia Power is remembered for her leadership, community spirit and decades of service to Carman and area
After graduation, she attended the University of Winnipeg, where she earned her Bachelor of Science and received the silver medal for science. She then changed direction and became a chartered accountant in 1975, at a time when she was one of very few women in her CA classes.
After meeting and marrying Hellar Nakonechny — whom she met while articling at Deloitte, Haskins & Sells — the couple decided they wanted both a family and a business in rural Manitoba. They chose Carman in 1977 and opened their first office in the Carman Library tower.
Soon came family — Alana, Lauren and Aaron — and with that, the balancing act of work and parenting. Child care was not available in Carman at the time, so Delia, always one to find solutions, worked with Fern Kerr to establish a daycare that still exists today. Delia and Fern put in countless hours to build and open the Wee Care Child Centre, which continued to grow and expand over the years.
Parkland Floor was a startup business launched during the high interest rates of the 1980s. They managed to stay afloat only because Delia introduced them to the Small Business Development Bond, reducing their interest rate from about 20 per cent to roughly 10 per cent. A strong business mind, she was also co-owner of Women’s World with Shirley Thevenot.
Over her 33 years in Carman, Delia became deeply involved in community life, dedicating many hours to causes she supported. Her activities included the Kinettes, Chamber of Commerce, Ducks Unlimited, the ladies’ golf league, recreational ringette and competitive bridge in the American Contract Bridge League.
As her children discovered their own activities, she was there with full encouragement — at hockey, ringette, rugby and soccer games. She even took figure skating lessons alongside her kids and served as president of the Carman Skating Club. When Aaron took an interest in poker, she followed along and eventually outperformed him in a qualifying tournament in Vancouver. That win led to her television appearance on TSN in Niagara Falls for a national competition.
Her family remembers her talent and passion for yarn and fabric. She spent countless hours sewing, knitting and mending. Her children — and later her grandchildren — could always count on the best Halloween costumes and lessons in textiles. For several years she was part of the St. Claude and Crescentwood quilting groups, no doubt expanding her circle of friends.
Delia’s life and work were interrupted several times as she battled cancer. A determined fighter, she gained many years of good quality life after receiving a one-year prognosis, but eventually had to step away from work in 2009. On Nov. 9, 2010, at age 59, she lost the fight.
As a founding partner of Nakonechny & Power and a dedicated member of the community, her legacy continues through the businesses and organizations she helped establish. Everyone who knew Delia benefited from her joyful approach to life and her warm smile.
Mona Brown – “She was meticulous with her files and, since we had many mutual clients, we would walk at lunch discussing them. Like most working women, Delia became an expert in multitasking while working full time, raising three children — I remember her having Alana in a bassinet beside her at work — and supporting their endeavours.
“Most of all, she was a true friend who deeply cared and valued her relationships. Delia is deeply missed by her clients and colleagues. Not a month goes by that I don’t spot her beautiful handwritten corrections or comments on a mutual file and remember what an extraordinary person she was.”
Jennifer Fischer (employee since 1995) – “If calculator speed races were in the Olympics, Delia would have won the gold medal. She was so fast on her old Victor calculator — that beast is probably 30 years old and unlike anything else in the office — but she loved it and swore by it.
“The after-tax-season wind-down was just another display of Delia’s gratitude for the overtime hours and sacrifices her staff made. There was a mutual loyalty between Delia and the team. Even though we were paid for our overtime, she never took us for granted and always showed her appreciation when it was all over.
“She often wondered where Hellar was and joked that if he ever disappeared on one of his hunting or fishing trips, she wouldn’t have a clue where to start looking for him — and he’d just have to ‘stay lost.’”
Wendi Wood (employee since 1990) – “Everyone knows family meant the world to Delia, and it was evident in the way she ran the office. She gave 100 per cent to her career but also balanced work and family life, with the kids spending a lot of time at the office. The lunchroom had a TV, and they would hang out there until Mom was ready to go home. During tax season, the long hours made the balancing act even more impressive. I always knew it was 8 p.m. when the phone rang — it was Aaron calling to say goodnight.
“She also served as the de facto computer-tech support. She was a self-taught computer expert who amazed all of us, and like everything she did, she made it look easy.
“Delia successfully maintained a thriving business, was unwavering in her commitment to her family and recognized the family obligations of her staff. She encouraged all of us to balance work and home.”
