Florence ""Flossie Eva Shanks

Florence Eva Shanks, 100 of Council Bluffs, Iowa passed away January 19, 2011 at a hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Scottsbluff with Pastor Matt Fowler officiating. Fellowship will follow the service. Inurnment will be at Oregon Trail Memorial Cemetery in Bridgeport. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the church or the Scottsbluff Senior Center. “Flossie” was born on a homestead north of Bayard, Nebraska to Lulu (Parks) and James Asa Cadwell and was raised with four brothers and four sisters. She attended North 58 country school in the building her father and neighbors built. She excelled in spelling contests, memorized and wrote poetry and plays, loved music and dancing, and won a 4-H trip to the State Fair in Lincoln. Florence graduated from Bayard High School in 1928. She and her future husband, Howard, met at a local dance and were married December 26, 1931. They resided in Bridgeport, Nebraska until 1981, when they moved to Gering, Nebraska due to his health. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Bridgeport, where she taught Sunday School, was on the Board of Trustees, Superintendent of Sunday School, and was one of the first Lady Deacons. Florence was a 50 year member and Past Matron of Eastern Star Chapter 260; Charter Member and Past President of Trails Toastmistress; and Den Mother of Cub Scouts. Served as Deputy Clerk of the District Court in Bridgeport, as well as working in the County Assessor’s Office. She was very active in golf, won many trophies, and her first hole-in-one was on the sand greens in Bridgeport. In 1994, Flossie moved to Scottsbluff and became a member of the First United Methodist Church. She joined the Red Hat Society, played the organ, played golf, crocheted, painted, wrote poetry, and traveled. One of her favorite pastimes was dancing at the Elks Club, and Gering and Scottsbluff Senior Centers. On her 85th birthday, she became a member of the “International Society of Poets” in Washington, D.C. and had her poem “Time Assessment” published in the National Library of Poetry. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, four brothers and one sister. Florence is survived by three sisters Elizabeth Dueker of Scottsbluff, Vera Payne of Idaho Falls, ID and Maxine Saurey of Island Park, ID; her son Harold Shanks of Council Bluffs, Iowa and daughter Cyrilla Murdock of Lincoln, NE; six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.