Flora Maria Meyer

Flora was born on August 17, 1934 in Ibague, Colombia to the late Florentino and Tomasa (Martinez) Polanco. Before her retirement, she was a travel agent and an artist for many years.

Flora was the youngest daughter in a loving family of nine children, five brothers and three sisters, growing up in Ibague and Bogota, Colombia. She was a talented artist from the start, with an ear for music and an eye for art. Flora was a student at the Conservatorio de Música del Tolima, where she enjoyed the opportunity to travel and delight audiences as a member of the concert ensemble. She also studied art at El Colegio Major de Cundinamarca in Bogota, Colombia.

Flora emigrated from Colombia, South America to Queens, NY, in the early 60s, and worked as a secretary. Flora met the love of her life, Paul, while ice skating at Iceland Rink at the old Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. As the story goes, she asked him to skate! They were married in 1967 and made Queens their home soon welcoming their two children, first Chris and then Susan.

Flora had an incredible enthusiasm for life and was happiest being active and trying new things. She trained to become a travel agent, while a full-time mom and pursuing her passion for art. Flora took great pride in her work, creating wonderful vacation experiences for her clients, and more so planning the most amazing and memorable family vacations to enjoy with Paul, Chris and Susan. Flora traveled extensively, for work and pleasure, throughout Europe, South America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States, and travel was a source of inspiration for many of the subjects of her artwork.

Flora received art instruction for over 25 years at the National Art League, Douglaston, NY, under the direction of Angelo John Grado, President Emeritus of the American Artist Professional League (AAPL). Her primary media was oil, and she also studied watercolor with Leo Yeni, President Emeritus of AAPL, at the historic Chelsea Center on Long Island.

Flora exhibited paintings at private galleries in NYC and Westchester, a solo show at the Bronxville Public Library, Bronxville Women’s Club, major juried shows throughout the New York Metropolitan area, and most recently exhibited at Croton River Artisans Gallery. She received recognition and awards from The National Art League, the Bay Ridge Festival of Arts, Brooklyn, NY, the American Artist Professional League at the Lever House in NYC, and the AAPL at the Salmagundi Club, NY. In addition, Flora produced numerous commissioned works.

While raising their children in Queens, Flora and Paul were active in Queen of Peace Church Parish and School. A devout Catholic, Flora sang at Sunday mass as a member of the church choir and volunteered her talents for all school fundraisers, performing in (and cooking for!) the Church’s parents’ group annual dinner theatre events. An all-round creative person, Flora sewed handmade clothing and amazing Halloween costumes for her children and later her grandchildren. Flora and Paul hosted fabulous cocktail parties and family holiday dinners with Flora’s artistry in the kitchen on full display, she was a phenomenal chef, and Paul at the bar to compliment!

Flora continued to ice skate with Paul and was often found with her mom friends and all the kids at Flushing Meadows Park ice rink in Queens and Wollman Rink in Central Park. Flora joined Paul as an avid runner with the Forest Park Road Runners club, training for 5k, 10k, and half-Marathon races, as well as the iconic NYC Marathon! To say Flora was athletic is an understatement, throughout her life she played tennis, water-skied, snow skied, hiked, bicycle rode, danced, sailed, parasailed and even walked on stilts!

Flora and Paul enjoyed their later years in Bronxville, NY with their children and four grandchildren living close by. She made friends everywhere she went and enjoyed her Bronxville community to the fullest, attending St. Joseph’s Church, becoming a member of the Bronxville Seniors organization, and of course, joining Paul arm-in-arm on the ice at EJ Murray’s Skating rink. Flora continued to paint, entertain family and friends, and listen and dance to all her favorite music – Johnny Mathis, Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Three Tenors – any music that could get her dancing and singing! She loved taking walks with Paul by the Bronx River and had her favorite spots to sit, chat with neighbors and people watch, alongside the love of her life. Flora treasured the time she spent with her beloved grandchildren: Julia, Sebastian, Sofia and Grace. She showered them with love, fun and games, good laughs and delicious food and sweets, and they adored her!

Flora was the most amazing person you could meet and truly had a wonderful life. Clearly, there was nothing Flora could not do, but what she did the best was as a loving, caring mother, doting, sweet grandmother and dedicated wife.

For the past few years, after Paul’s passing, Flora lived at Atria on the Hudson and The Club of Briarcliff Manor, where she was a beloved resident and still enjoyed sharing her beautiful voice in song. She also attended Sunday mass at St. Augustine's Church, admiring views of the Hudson River.

She is survived by her son Christian and daughter Susan Proano, daughter-in-law Cigdem, son-in-law Alex, former daughter-in-law Marni, her grandchildren Julia, Sofia, Sebastian and Grace, her brother-and sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews who she loved dearly.

She was predeceased by her loving husband, Christian Paul, in February of 2021, having been married for 53 years, and by her brothers and sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Saturday, September 14th at 10am at St. Augustine Church, 381 N Highland Ave, Ossining, NY 10562. Interment to follow at Bethel Cemetery, Old Post Road South, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her memory to St. Joseph’s Church, Bronxville, or St. Augustine Church, Ossining.