Visitation
Friday, March 11, 2011
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions
Visitation
Friday, March 11, 2011
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Rosary at 7 PM
Service
Saturday, March 12, 2011
10:00 AM EST
St. Mary's Catholic Church
423 First Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Contributions
At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.
American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 10069
Detroit, MI 48210
(616) 364-6121
Driving Directions
Web Site
Flowers
Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.
Ball Park Floral
8 Valley Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 459-3409
Driving Directions
Web Site
Life Story / Obituary
With her kind and tender heart, Florence Junghans had a gift for making people feel accepted, comfortable, and unconditionally loved. She devoted herself to caring for her husband and her children, and she considered it both her highest calling and greatest blessing to do so. As her family grew older, Florence remained the heartbeat of her family and was so proud of who her children became. She had a deep love for babies and children and with the way her children and grandchildren were spaced, she was richly blessed that there were almost always little ones near. With a generous touch that reached so many others, Florence greatly enriched the lives of those around her.
Nearly a century has passed since our nation struggled with issues such as unsafe working conditions and a lack of child labor laws. During a generation when education took a backseat to hunger for America’s youth, the winds of change were on the horizon. The year 1911 was a year for great celebration for one young family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, since it was on April 27th that they were pleased to announce the birth of a healthy baby girl. Florence was welcomed into the world by her parents, Joseph and Maria (Kaiser) Theile, and was the youngest of five children in her family including her siblings Frank, Joseph, Erma, and Helen. Since Florence’s mother was of German descent, this heritage was an important part of family life. She lived on the west side of Grand Rapids throughout her entire life and was a good child who was well taken care of by her older siblings.
It was during her formative years that many of Florence’s most defining traits emerged. Her faith was established as a cornerstone in her life as a young girl, and her family was faithful members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Early on, Florence fostered a spirit of adventure that made her so much fun to be with, but at times this got her into a bit of trouble. Since their home had no electricity, Florence once started a small fire when imitating her older siblings and lighting a match to find a coat in the closet. Family was an important component in her life, too, as she always spoke fondly of taking walks with her father with whom she was very close. The family was dealt a devastating blow with the death of Florence’s sister, Erma, when she was still a child, and Florence's father passed away when she was just 16 years old.
Like so many other young people of her generation, Florence left school to help support the family. She found secretarial work at a local knitting company where she also did some modeling.
New and exciting changes were in store for Florence when she met the young man with whom she would share an enduring love while they were both in their teens. His name was Ted Junghans and after dating on and off for a few years, the couple married on June 20, 1936, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Florence worked until the birth of their first child a few years later. For the rest of her life, she focused her attention on caring for her family. She was an extraordinary housekeeper who kept an immaculate home and was overjoyed to care for her husband and six children. When her children were young, the family took several fun-filled vacations to a cottage on Big Star Lake with many of their relatives.
In so many ways, Florence made her home a warm and inviting place. Faith was a cornerstone there with the praying of the Rosary after dinner each night. The aromas that came out of her kitchen were fantastic, especially on Saturdays when she got up early to bake all kinds of breads and specialties. Some of her most famous dishes were her German potato salad and turkey stuffing as well as her pies and rolls. Christmas time always found Florence baking thousands of cookies. Her open heart naturally led to an open door for all of her children’s friends and since she always made more than enough food, no one ever went hungry.
There were countless attributes that made Florence such a remarkable woman. She was not a worrier by nature and since she was comfortable in her faith, Florence trusted that her children would make the right decisions. She had a great sense of style and even when money was tight both she and her children were dressed nicely while still following a budget. Florence liked to sew and knit and so she made dresses for her daughters when they were young and afghans for everyone in the family later in life. She enjoyed reading, especially biographies and the newspaper, making the best of the time she spent relaxing.
Through the years, Florence and Ted demonstrated what marriage is truly intended to be. They were gracious and loving to one another and once their children were grown, they enjoyed traveling together. They also spent several winters in Florida and although Florence would have preferred to stay close to their children and grandchildren, she was more than happy to go since Ted loved being snowbirds.
Later in life Florence continued to treasure the loved ones in her life. She talked to her children often, and whenever she was on the phone, you could hear her light up. She also mastered the art of letter writing to those who were away including her children’s friends. Florence always looked forward to seeing her grandchildren, and she also liked spending time with her friends including a group of schoolmates and a group from church who often gathered to play Setback. She nursed her husband back to health after his accident in 1987 and together they enjoyed nearly ten more years before his death in 1996. After she moved to Villa Maria, it wasn’t surprising that Florence made many new friends there.
Through the life she lived each day it was clear to see that Florence Junghans treasured her faith and her family above all else. She was both selfless and genuine in everything she did and taught us by example what love really means. Her fun-loving attitude and familiar giggling is a lasting impression in the minds of those close to her. Florence leaves behind a timeless legacy rich in compassion, graciousness, and unconditional love that will be carried on by those who follow in her footsteps. She will be deeply missed.
Florence E. Junghans died on March 2, 2011. Florence’s family includes her children, Marybeth (Don) Striegle, Thomas Junghans, Nancy (Fred) Andersen, Dan (Sue) Junghans, Judy (Jeffrey) Lovero, Cindy (Jack) Bechtold; 15 grandchildren; 20 great- grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ted in 1996. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 423 First Street NW. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with her family on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Homes – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW where the Rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Interment in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or make a memorial contribution to the American Cancer Society.