Obituary of Florence Minnie Elizabeth STARKEWSKI

STARKEWSKI, Florence Minnie Elizabeth (Appleton) Florence, aged 93 years, of Strathmore, AB passed away peacefully at Clifton Manor on May 3, 2017 after a brief battle with cancer. Florence was born November 23, 1923 in Burwash, Sussex, England to Phoebe and William E.H. Appleton, the youngest of 3 children. She spent her early years in Princes Risborough at a boarding school till she returned home to Sussex to care for her father at 16. She met her husband John during the war and they were married August 31, 1942. John left his bride in Burwash where their son Lorne was born in 1944 while he accompanied the troops throughout the campaign in Europe. Florence came to Canada as a war bride with her young son aboard the ship Franconia. They arrived in Halifax in 1945 and took a coal train for one and a half days to Dauphin, Manitoba. She was not prepared for the harsh Canadian winters nor the cultural differences between city life and rural farm life where the foods, language and dress were all foreign. They lived in Dauphin and Flin Flon, Manitoba before moving to Alberta in 1959 where they managed a ranch in Bragg Creek. They settled in Inglewood where they retired. Florence moved to Strathmore after John passed away to be closer to her family. Left to mourn her passing are her grandchildren and their families, which include; 3 grandchildren,7 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren as well as John’s brother Albert (Ida), sister Margaret Lowndes, and sister in law Caroline as well as numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Thursday May 11, 2017 at Lord of All Lutheran Church, Strathmore at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made directly to Wheatland and Area Hospice Society (P.O. Box 2154, Strathmore, AB T1P 1K2) or to the Canadian Cancer Society (#200, 325 Manning Rd NE, Calgary, AB T2E 2P5). To send condolences, please click on the link below or email directly to: condolences@wheatlandfuneralhome.ca Send Condolences