From the Daily Stamdard, Celina, Oh. Wed. March 15, 2017;
Florence E. Gause, 95, of Rockford, Ohio, died at 2:25 a.m. on
Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at her home.
She was born in Kalamazoo,
Michigan on June 21, 1921, the daughter of Harley and Minnie (Myers)
Shively.
Florence was a 1940 graduate of Geneva-Adams County High
School. She obtained her first job at the Geneva License Bureau, and
later worked at the Geneva Milling Company as a secretary; she then
went on to work at the Decatur Casting Company, where she was the
Production Secretary.
On October 15, 1944, she married Lloyd
Gause, and became a dairy farm wife, of which she was very proud. She
and Lloyd celebrated over 72 years of marriage, spending every day
together on the farm.
Florence was a member of the Chattanooga
United Methodist Church; in 1947 she became a member of the
Chattanooga Grange, and then the Unity Grange, and was also a member
of the Pomona Grange in Mercer County - she was very active in the
grange for 69 years.
In 1980, she helped establish the charter
membership of the Mercer County Genealogy Society. She spent a lot of
time going through the red tape of establishing this organization. She
loved her work with genealogy; working tirelessly, she delved through
records and published numerous books and records.
Before
computers, she and the other members went to the cemeteries, brushing
the tombstones and recording the deaths, using the old flour, chalk,
and paper method to record the births and deaths of so many countians.
Whole cemeteries were done this way by her and her colleagues,
culminating in publishing entire books of the records.
Florence
was so very talented at crocheting, and enjoyed her hobby so very
much. She loved making crocheted blankets for every member of her
family, and everyone cherished her hand-made gifts.
Surviving is
her husband, Lloyd, of Rockford and three children: a son, David
(Lois) Gause; two daughters, Vickie (Tim) Bollenbacher, and Marjorie
(Jay) Ellis, all of Rockford; 11 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren;
19 great grandchildren; 11 step-great grandchildren; 3 great-great
grandchildren; and 3 nieces and 2 nephews.
Deceased are her
parents, an infant son, a sister and her husband, Imogene and Clarence
Amstutz, and 1 great grandchild.
Services will be held on Friday,
March 17, 2017 at 1:00 p.m., at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home in
Rockford, with Pastor Tom Brunstrup officiating. Burial will be in
East Bethel Cemetery outside of Rockford.
Friends may call prior
to the service on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service
at 1:00 p.m.
Memorials may be directed to the Chattanooga United
Methodist Church or to the Mercer County Genealogy Society.
Condolences may be expressed at ketchamripley.com.
Contributed by Elaine Mihm Geyer