Florence Mary Smith

May 4,1917, the second of seven children to Bernard and Ellen Powers. She was raised on a farm near

Barnum Iowa where she attended high school. She graduated from St. Joseph's Mercy School of Nursing

in Fort Dodge, Iowa on September 13, 1938.

Florence proudly served as an Army nurse during W.W.II and worked as an R.N. for over 50 years. She

met Kenneth, her husband of 33 years, while they both worked in Yellowstone National Park. They

eventually moved to Fresno in 1961 where they settled and raised their three sons.

After mourning Kenneth's death in 1981, she went on to live a full life of independence, taking pride in

buying and landscaping her new home where she enjoyed gardening and visiting with family and friends.

Florence loved her life. She had a great sense of "Iowa humor", shared fond stories and memories of

past relatives, friends and people she worked with, and took pride in her sons and their families. She

weathered the storms in her life with grace, dignity and a gritty determinism symbolic of her Irish

heritage of which she was extremely proud. She was devout in her faith and active in her Church guild.

Florence is survived by son Timothy and his wife Judy and their children Ryan and his wife Candice and

daughter Erin of San Diego; Patrick and his wife Lisa, their daughter Brandy and step-son Cameron; and

Kelly and his sons Zachary and Eston of Oregon. She also has two great-grandchildren Anthony and

Holden and many nieces and nephews and their children.

Special thanks and recognition is extended to Dr. Pham and the staff at Veterans' Hospital; and Jack

Hurley and his staff at Apricot Mornings where Florence spent her last two years, for their care and

compassion during her final days.

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Tuesday January 24,2012

from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church on Wednesday January 25, 2012

at 10:00 A.M. Interment will follow at St. Peter's Cemetery.

Remembrances may be made to Our Lady of Victory Womens' Guild.