Florence J. Muldoon

August 17, 1911 – February 1, 2011

Florence was a matriarch of a 5 generation family all living in or around the Portland area. She passed away on February 1, 2011 in Portland, Oregon at the age of 99 ½. She was born in Dilworth, Minnesota to James Franklin Nelson and Minnie Christina Nelson.

Most of her childhood was spent near south Sacred Heart in Minnesota and she was baptized in the Lutheran Church. As a young woman she was a live-in Nanny and cook for a prominent family in Renville, Minnesota. In 1937 Florence married Curnel Lewis Evensen in Van Nuys, California.

Together, they returned to Minnesota to operate the 160 acre, Evensen Family farm. It was here that their three sons, Arlan, Wayne, and Clint were born. As a farmer’s wife, life was challenging with no electricity or indoor plumbing and raising three energetic boys. Florence raised chickens, milked cows, and mastered her skills at sewing and cooking as she often fed hungry harvesting crews.

In 1952 the family traveled west to Portland, Oregon joining relatives who had previously moved west during the war. This is where her only daughter, Connie Florence, was born.

Curnel passed away in 1972 and Florence married James Muldoon in 1977. Besides sewing, Florence enjoyed bunco parties, dancing at the Eagles Lodge and cooking for her family as well as canning Salmon caught by her son, Wayne. She also volunteered much of her time at the Providence Child Center. She was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church for many years. James Muldoon passed away in 2000.

She is survived by her sister: Mildred Peterson; her four children: Arlan(Jeanne), Wayne(Lorraine), Clint(Marian), and Connie Skoglund(Mark); her grandchildren: Tami Evensen-Kleser, Teri Brown, Drew Evensen, Mark Evensen, and Matt Evensen; her great grandchildren: Megan Kleser, Tyler Kleser, Jason Brown, Bryce Kleser, Alyssa Brown, Emma Kleser, and Haley Brown; and her great great grandchild: Kayden Kleser.

Private Interment will be at Lincoln Memorial Park. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 5415 SE Powell Blvd., Portland, OR, at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, February 8th, 2011. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Florence’s memory to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

Arrangements under the direction of Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, Portland, OR.