Beatrice Florin

BEATRICE A. FLORIN

Beatrice A. Florin, age 98, of Winona, passed away on Sunday, September 11, 2016, at Winona Health.  She was born in Arcadia, WI on June 21, 1918, the eldest daughter of Martin Manning and Anna Kupietz Manning. She had one brother, Joseph, and three sisters, Winifred, who died at the age of 52, Ruth Harrison of Arcadia, and Roseanne Sense of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

After graduating as the valedictorian from Arcadia High School, she spent several depression years working for the State Bank of Arcadia. In 1939 she married Edward Florin and moved to Waumandee, where she worked for 15 years as township clerk for the Township of Montana in Buffalo County.  The marriage ended in divorce in 1957, at which time she moved to Winona, Minnesota, with her four children.

She was initially employed at St. Mary's College followed by ten years with the law firm of Goldberg, Torgerson and Kellum. Following that, she worked for the next 11 years for the Social Security office in Winona until her retirement in 1984.

During the next three years she attended Winona State College to study the field of art. She then proceeded to teach watercolor classes part time at the Winona Senior Center for the next 10 years. In addition to her friends in the art community, she also became active in the area of gardening, being a member of both the Hiawatha Gardeners and the Winona Flower and Garden Club. Her hobbies included membership in the International Toastmistress Club and arranging flowers for various church events at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart where she was a member, which activity she shared with her friend, Betty Lowe.

Her survivors include one son, Jack (Susan) Florin, Minnesota City; two daughters: Jill (Terry) Wenger, West Bend, WI; and Debbie Florin, St. Augustine, FL; her daughter, Sarah Bea (Jack) Wera died in August 2006.  She is also survived by her grandchildren: Robin Wera, Molly Wenger, Briann Oxhandler, Adam (Marianne) Florin, Nicole (John) Stoen, Laura (Greg) Rasmussen, and Paul (Charity) Florin; great-grandchildren: Willow Oxhandler, Sienna Oxhandler; Arianna, Aydan, Atreyu, and Ayla Anne Florin; Julia and Emma Stoen; Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Clemmie Florin; and Ava Rasmussen.  She was preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2016, in the Chapel of Our Lady at St. Anne Extended Healthcare in Winona, from 1 PM until the time of a Mass of Christian Burial at 1:30 PM.  The Reverend Mark C. McNea of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart will officiate.

Following the Mass, a luncheon and reception will be held in the Gaudeamus Room of St. Anne’s.

Online condolence or memories may be left for Bea’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com