Goodby my dear friend, and God Bless

In 1995 I started going back to my childhood church. I still knew a few people who were much older now but there were a lot of new old faces. One such face was Florence. Florence was only 78 that year. She was one of the first people to come and introduce herself to me. We were instant friends. After a few months had passed and I decided to re join the church, Florence offered to be my sponsor.

Flo was a widow and lived by herself. She still drove her car then and lived in a modest but lovely mobile home in the small town not far from our church. I would go and visit her and call her on the phone. She told me stories that had me laughing till I nearly wet my pants. I knew about her parents, her brothers and sisters. She also told me about working in the mills in Gary, IN during the war. She told me how she met her husband and how they got married on the q.t.
She wept telling me about the loss of her baby. With pride she talked about her step sons that were as dear to her as her own two daughters. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were flowers in her life's bouquet.

At church functions, Florence was one of the first to get there and one of the last to leave. Always helping, running a vacuum or wiping a counter. She was one of the hardest workers I have ever known. Even though those gnarled fingers were screaming with pain, she never complained or stopped working. There were times she could barely even walk, but she did.


As we all will one day Flo started to need help. She had to give up her car and driving. Then she had a fall or two. The decision was made to move into assisted living. By now Flo was in her early 90's. I could tell she hated being there but not as much as she would have hated being a burden on her children. At least that is what she thought.

I think in December, Flo would have celebrated her 93rd. birthday. She will miss this one, because it will be her first birthday in heaven. I will miss you my dear friend. Thank you for being there for me all of those years.
I love you for always.