Florence Grover was born May 14th, 1916 in Glyndon, MN.  She was baptized at Concordia, but was confirmed at Bethania Lutheran Church in rural Perley MN, while her father was working for his uncle there.  She graduated from Borup High school in 1934 and took a job as a country school teacher.

Florence joined the US Navy WAVES in 1942. During WWII, she taught Chinese and Russian sailors English so they could sail the Liberty ships that carried supplies. She also taught foreign students English at Harvard and Wellesley.

Florence completed her teaching degree at San Francisco State University. She lived in California for 58 years in the cities of Santa Rosa, San Raphael, and San Bernardino. She was particularly in tune with 2nd and 3rd grade students.

She enjoyed playing by ear on her grand piano. Florence spent many happy hours tending her beautiful garden. She lived alone but enjoyed decorating and maintaining her five bedroom home, and welcomed all who came to visit. Florence could also express with words the beauty she saw with her eyes and heart. She twice won the California Golden Poetry Award.

 
Although she had no children of her own, many family members found in her a wellspring of support and positive guidance.

As she approached her 90th birthday, Florence decided it was time to sell her home in California and move closer to her sister.  She made the move to Oregon in late 2005.

Florence was blessed with a long, active, and productive life. After a series of falls in the spring of 2006, she moved from assisted living to Willamette Nursing Home. This warm and gentle lady passed away peacefully on August 2, 2006. 

She is interred with her parents and brother in Concordia Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Glyndon MN.

Florence's Gravesite