Florence Alma Fisher

Born on November 2, 1922, the 12th of 13 children to Levi and Mary Etta (Longberry) Rockhold of York Center, Ohio, Florence attended York Center Methodist Church. She was very active in school and excelled academically, graduating Salutatorian of her 1940 York Center High School class. She attended Business College in Columbus OH and worked for the department of defense during WWII.

Florence married high school class mate and WWII veteran Ralph Shoup. The couple purchased a dairy farm near York Center where they milked cows, raised beef cattle, farmed commercially and raised their 3 daughters.

Upon Ralph’s death in 1970 the farm was sold. Florence remarried a few years later and moved to Nokomis FL. Florence was a successful real estate agent broker for Century 21 of Venice FL in the latter half of her working life. Always one to live life to its fullest she very much enjoyed her work, as well as travel, sewing, cooking, and entertaining.

After her retirement from Real Estate Flo began painting, a talent she had discovered in high school, and painted portraits of many family members. In her later years she penned a blog entitled Flo’s Follies (flosfollies.com), her most recent entry the celebration of her 97th birthday. Her eulogy has been posted there for her followers.

Florence resided with family in Sarasota FL from 2015 until her death. In her final years she took immense pleasure in corresponding with her friends and loved ones on a regular basis.

Florence is survived by her daughters Meredythe (Joey)Wedding of Dillon MT, Pamela (Tracy) Drake of Sarasota FL, and son-in-law Terrell Smith of Dahlonega GA; grandchildren, Terri Hires (Gary)Doss of Lawrenceville GA, Tom (Lindsi)Hires of Calumet City GA, Dean (Dlynda) Wedding of Dillon MT, Jodi Wedding of Marysville OH, Evin Drake (Matthew)Bender of Pittsburgh PA and Sarah Drake of Tampa FL, Scott (Diana) Smith of Cumming GA, Shane (Amy) Smith of Mount Rainier MD, numerous great and great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph B Shoup, her husband Wayne Fisher, her daughter Carole Suzanne Hires Smith, and her 12 siblings.

A generous, thoughtful, creative and vivacious woman, Florence will be sorely missed by those who knew her. As was her wish her ashes will be scattered at sea. A Celebration of Florence’s life will take place at a future time when family and loved ones can safely gather.