Wednesday, May 20, 2020
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I first met Florence about 17 years ago through Girl Scouts. I remember thinking wow, what a remarkable woman. She knows everything there is to know about Girl Scouts and she is one on one with the girls. Since I was new and didn’t know anything, I decided I would attach myself to her hip. By the way, Florence was very active and would outlast me on many adventures at camp. She had no issues keeping up with the girls. Our troops often camped together. No one could pack a car like Florence. Anytime we needed anything she would go to her car and pull out her “pickle jar” and she would have it. We use to joke she probably had a Girl Scout in her trunk. When I assumed the position of Event Coordinator for our Service Unit, Florence was right there with me for every single event. That is no small feat as we did a minimum of 16 events in 7 months. One thing was constant, I could always count on Florence. Always the first one there and the last one to leave.
Florence’s leadership spanned generations. When I first met Florence, she would mention she was getting daughters of girls she use to have in her troop. The last several years she started mentioning having grandchildren of girls that use to be in her troop. I do have a funny story about Florence but it wasn’t so funny at the time. After one of the events everyone was leaving and Florence was waving. Everyone waved back and drove off only to find out she was trying to wave us down because her battery was dead. By the way, Tom, thanks for buying Florence her first cell phone. That little flip phone I remember it well. Took her a bit to get comfortable with it and a celebration was had when she finally was able to text with ease. She did finally advance to a SMART phone.
To say that Florence was active in the Girl Scouts Community is an understatement. She spent 62 years as a Girl Scout with 51 of them as a volunteer. She received her First Class Award as a Girl Scout which is equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle Award. As an Adult Girl Scout, she won the Presidents Award, Outstanding Volunteer, Outstanding Leader, Thanks Badge and Thanks II Badge (The Thanks II badge is for when you have won everything but still Rock and we have nothing else to give you). However, not many have it because it is actually very hard to get. Most recently she was awarded the Volunteer of Excellence (a new award). She would have received that this past April.
Florence also coordinated community events. It is interesting that she is being laid to rest in the very cemetery that she spent every Memorial Day with a bunch of Girls Scouts putting flags on our veteran’s graves. She also volunteered at the polling places during elections and was an active member in the church community.
Florence was like part of my family. She pretty much helped raise my daughter who was also a Girl Scout and she was very close to my mother. When my mother became ill, Florence was right there with me and helped me get over her passing. I look back at my Girl Scout memories and I can’t think of any that she wasn’t a part of. I actually camped more with Florence than my own family.
Florence passing has left a huge void in my heart and I’ll never forget her. I have purchased a Brick in her memory at one of the Girl Scout Camps that we visited so often. Now as the generations of Girl Scouts pass by the bricks, they can think fondly of her as I always will.
In loving memory of Florence Whiteman, Always in our hearts, Hoxie Service Team and Troop 352 Leader, 8/2/1950-5/9/2020
I included a couple of my favorite memories with Florence. The first is a picture of her at the annual meeting receiving one of her many awards. The second one is me with Florence in the swing with my mom in Savannah Georgia, the third one is one of our many trips to City Council. She is with the Mayor, Linda V and our two girls. Then the last one is my mother and Florence at one of the many camping trips. Two very special ladies that helped me become a better person.
