Florence Carol Burkhart, 96

Florence Carol Burkhart, 96, of Bonners Ferry, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 12, 2015, at the Boundary County Community Hospital.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at St Ann’s Catholic Church in Bonners Ferry on Feb. 23 at 11 a.m.

Internment will be at Clarendon Hills Cemetery in Westmont, Ill.

Florence was born on March 1, 1918. in Chicago, Ill., to Charles and Louise DiStasi. She married her husband Stewart in 1935 and they raised five children. They were married 59 years before he passed away in 1992.

While raising her five children, she also worked 20 years for Pepperidge Farm/Campbells Soup in Chicago, as the cafeteria manager. She was very proud that she worked long enough to retire and earn a pension from Campbell’s Soup.

She was well known and admired for her tasty Italian cooking. She was an avid fisherwoman and had many photographs of the fish that did not get away!

She moved to Bonners Ferry in 1993 and built her home in the Marx Subdivision. She wanted to stay busy, so she started volunteering at the Bonners Ferry Senior Center welcome desk. She made sure that lunch attendees signed in, paid for their meal and were assigned a seat. She also served meals and set tables. She received many Volunteer awards during the 19 years she was there.

Florence was a spunky little Italian who spoke her mind and loved spending time with her granddaughter Sharon and her family until she entered the Restorium. She was truly loved and will be missed tremendously. Stories about her will be recalled with loving fondness and shared with family for many years to come.

When Florence turned 96 in March 2014, she decided it was time to move into the Restorium and be around friends her own age. She enjoyed her 11 months there and received excellent care and support from all of the Restorium staff. Florence was a very independent, feisty and loving woman. Her special friends Denise Crichton, MarciaVee Cossette, Jill Bean and Kathryn Star Heart-Huggins gave her lots of company and companionship. She was strong in her Catholic faith and a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church for many years.

She was deeply loved and those of us she left behind are greatly saddened by her passing, but we know she is with the Lord and no longer suffering.

She is survived by her four children; Richard of Hawaii, Carol (John) Blackmore of Illinois, MaryAnn (Wayne) Fredrickson of Bonners Ferry and Ron of Georgia. She is also survived by her granddaughter Sharon (Don) Allenberg of Bonners Ferry and their children Allison Hamilton of Hayden, Amanda Merrifield of Bonners Ferry and Keith of Spokane Valley. She is also survived by numerous other grandchildren, and great-great-great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Stewart and a young son, Arthur.

Thank you to Dr. Goh and Nurse Lois for their excellent care and compassion in the Emergency Room.

Family and friends are invited to sign Florence’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.