Florence Koenigsknecht

Florence M. Koenigsknecht was a woman whose remarkable and nurturing spirit will live on in the lives of those she so dearly loved and cherished. With abiding faith and devotion to her church, Florence committed her life in service to others. She knew that nothing was more valuable, more lasting or more rewarding than giving yourself to your children, your family, and your faith. Unwavering throughout life‘s joys and sorrows, her compassion and dedication set a wonderful example for her family to embrace, and will fondly be remembered.

The beginning of many changes for America, the years following World War I was a period of economic prosperity. Women won the right to vote, and prohibition took effect, making way for bootleggers and gangland mobs alike. Families tuned their radios to the first broadcast baseball game, and Louie Armstrong was the King of Jazz. In the quiet village of Pewamo, Michigan, Anthony and Mary (Klein) Miller were experiencing changes of their own, when on January 11, 1920, they welcomed the birth of a little girl they named Florence.

Born the middle child in a household that would eventually include five children, Florence grew up in the close knit community of Pewamo on the family farm where everyone pitched in and did their share of chores. It was here that Florence learned the value of hard work, and that together, much can be accomplished. A family devout in faith. When Florence was a young child, she suffered from an ear infection that would affect her hearing throughout most of her life.

Through the difficult times of the Great Depression, Florence, like most young people, finished school in the eighth grade. During this time, she found work cleaning houses and served as a nursemaid to many newborn babies in the area. On April 29, 1946, at the age of 26, Florence became the wife of Raymond Koenigsknecht in a marriage arranged by his father. Florence’s sister had married into the Koenigsknecht family, and it was quite common in rural Pewamo for marriages to be arranged at that time.

Raymond was a dairy farmer, and as his wife, Florence did whatever it took to help the farm become successful. She worked alongside her husband, involved in every aspect of the farm from milking the cows to keeping the books. Florence was very task oriented, and was never opposed to hard work. She certainly wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, either. She loved to garden, and enjoyed spending time baking each Saturday where her wonderful homemade bread, cinnamon rolls and apple pie were family favorites. Having been blessed with ten children, Florence was an exceptional cook, and learned to make meals go a long way to feed her family. They were members of Most Holy Trinity Parish. Florence was also a member of Christian Mothers and Daughters of Isabella where she learned to foster growth in her personal faith, and to serve others.

Along with a large family, there were many dishes to be done; Fr. Bill Koenigsknecht even said he learned how to wash dishes properly from Florence. As a woman who never complained, Florence was never afraid to raise her voice when she needed to. She balanced her caring and loving ways as a mother with running a strict household, and the children knew they could always count on her. She and Raymond passed a strong work ethic on to their children, bringing them up true to their Catholic faith. She bestowed good, moral values in her children that they each carry with them to this day. Florence held close to her faith, and her church was extremely important to her. Each night, without fail, Florence could be found praying the rosary.

In her spare time, Florence loved watching game shows on TV, and especially favored the show “My Three Sons”. She took to watching baseball, most often her favorite team, the Detroit Tigers. Always doing for others, Florence even found enjoyment in sewing, particularly mending things. In fact, she was even the family nurse as she always seemed to know just what to do. When grandchildren came along, Florence was delighted. She loved spending time with them, and took interest in each of their activities.

When Raymond turned the farm over to one of their sons, it opened up the opportunity for Florence and Raymond to travel. They enjoyed each other’s company, and always enjoyed a good game of Euchre or Rummy together. Farm life and a bustling household didn‘t allow for much time away, and these times spent together made for lasting memories. Sadly, Raymond died on July 21, 2002. Florence continued to be self sufficient, remaining in her home. But in 2004, she suffered a debilitating stroke that had lasting affects on her legs. Rather than burden anyone to care for her, it was just like Florence to be thinking of others before herself, and she made the decision to live in a nursing home in St. Johns. With mounting health issues, Florence passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at the age of 89.

Surviving are her daughters: Leone (Mark) Hufnagel, Agnes and Rita Koenigsknecht, and Rose (Paul) Todd; sons: Marvin (Carolyn), Raymond, Norm (Karyn), and Albert (Shari) Koenigsknecht. Florence is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; her sister, Sarah Kowatch; many nieces and nephews. Along with her husband, she was preceded in death by daughters, Lucille Koenigsknecht and Lucy Higgs; son, Leon and grandson, Eric Koenigsknecht; her sister, Laura Koenigsknecht and brothers, Reynold and Leonard Miller. The funeral Mass will be held at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fowler on Monday, April 13, 2009, 10:00 AM with Rev. Fr. Dennis Howard officiating. Burial at Holy Trinity Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes on Sunday with rosaries prayed at 3 and 8 PM. Memorials may be made to Most Holy Trinity Catholic Parish and School in Fowler, Michigan. In appreciation of your generosity to Florence’s memory and in lieu of thank you acknowledgements, the family will make a donation to the Most Holy Catholic Parish and School. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where to can submit a favorite photo of Florence, leave a memory, or sign her online guest book.