Florence Lorraine Hanke, 92, of Mansfield, Ohio and Davenport, Florida passed away peacefully at her home, on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. She went to join her loving husband of 55 years, Merlin Sternberg Hanke, who previously passed October 9, 2007. Florence was born November 25, 1929, in Lisbon, Ohio, to Carl and Annabelle (Lodge) Armstrong.
Florence played the trombone in big-band dances throughout junior and senior high school. She enjoyed playing in the band with her grandfather, Lawrence Lodge, who played the fiddle and called the dances at the granges. She attended the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music until a car accident altered her life’s direction.
She then threw herself into obtaining her Registered Nursing degree from the Aultman School of Nursing in Canton, Ohio. This was to have a critical influence on her life. While in her infectious disease rotation at Cleveland City Hospital (now Metro Health Hospital), Florence was introduced to her future husband when Elaine Hanke, a polio patient, set Florence up with her brother, Merlin. Their love lasted throughout the years and anyone watching them could see their devotion to each other.
Leaving nursing after having children, Florence worked with her husband in their pulley stamping and screw machine business. She also was a bus driver for the St. Thomas Lutheran School in Rocky River and later for the Avon School District. Once retired, they enjoyed camping in their motor home for several years before moving to Davenport Florida; eventually becoming snowbirds.
Florence was a Life Member of the VFW. When younger she enjoyed swimming, sailing, and golfing.
Florence is survived by her children, Lonelle (Keith) Keller, Sherrel Shoffstall, and Gaye (Robert) Crawford; her grandchildren, Ashley (Ryan) Lidwell and Brent Keller, and great-grandson, Reed Lidwell.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother Harold Armstrong, nephew Walter Armstrong, and son-in-law, James Shoffstall. For those of us still here, we feel the pain of her absence but we also know in time we will gather again in God’s mansion.
Private services will be held at a future date. Words of condolence may be expressed at www.neptunesociety.com..
Funeral home : Neptune Society, Hilliard, Ohio
I wanted to meet Florence because she was married to Merlin and I purchased his family home in dec 2021. The Castle in Parma. I would love for a family member to reach out to me and extend an invite to share a dinner here. We named one of the bedrooms after Merlin. You can reach me through http://www.gotharp.com as I’m currently at the castle most of Nov. 24