Florence A. McGowan's Obituary
RAVENNA Florence A. McGowan, one of Portage County's oldest residents, and a resident of Ravenna since 1980, died at the age of 103 on Monday November 9, 2009 at the Woodlands at Robinson Nursing Home in Ravenna. She was the daughter of Arthur and Emma (Berg) Kuchenbecker of Mantua and the second oldest of 9 brothers and sisters. She was born July 16, 1906 in Mantua and graduated from Mantua Center High School in 1924. In 1926, she married John Keith McGowan also of Mantua. They were married for 66 years until his death in 1992. Florence worked as a housekeeper in Cleveland and then farmed with her husband in Mantua and later in Shalersville. She also was a restaurant cook at the Ohio Turnpike plazas in Freedom and later at Crestwood Schools in Mantua. She was instrumental in the founding of Christ Lutheran Church in Mantua though in more recent years she rejoined the church where she had been baptized, the Mantua Center Christian Church. She was a member of the Shalersville Lend-A-Hand Club and the Ladies Cemetery Association. She loved to garden and continued to enjoy working with plants and flowers into her 90s. At 102, she was the Grand Marshall of the Portage County Bicentennial Parade in 2008. Family and friends have enjoyed her memories of growing up in Portage County though a written family history which she gave to the Mantua Center Historical Society. She is survived by her sister Dorothy (Robert Boyle) of Prescott, AZ and brother Carl (Donna) Kuchenbecker of Elyria, Oh., a daughter Kay Kritzer, of Hiram and a son, Terry (Charlotte) McGowan of Cleveland Hts, Oh., 2 granddaughters, a great granddaughter and 5 step grandchildren, their families and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held Friday December 4, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at the Mantua Center Christian Church, 4118 State Route 82, with Rev. Chad DeLaney officiating. No calling hours. Following the memorial service, a luncheon will be held at the church. Burial will be at Westlawn Cemetery in Mantua Center. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Mantua Center Christian Church, P.O. Box 550, Mantua, Ohio 44255. Arrangements are by the Green Family Funeral Home & Crematory Service in Mantua. Her obituary may be viewed online at www.greenfamilyfuneralhome.com.
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