Florence Tucker Andreasen

Florence was born on September 23, 1915 in Schenectady, New York, the daughter of Florence and Benjamin Tucker. She was the sixth of seven children raised during the Great Depression. After high school, Florence worked as a bookkeeper for Daly’s Restaurant before marrying her next-door neighbor, Lawrence Andreasen, in 1936.

She was a single mom to her daughter Cynthia while Lawrence served with the Army in Japan in World War II. Their second daughter, Lesa, was born in 1947. Florence was active in her beloved First Presbyterian Church for most of her adult life. She taught Sunday school, sewed for missions, assisted with church suppers, served Sunday dinner to many Union College gentlemen, and provided hospitality to many international college students in the Capital District. Florence and Lawrence made friends with engineers sent from Japan to work at the Schenectady General Electric plant. Every holiday meal included international guests. When she was 65, Florence travelled with Lawrence to spend six weeks in Japan with the many friends they had made over the years.

Florence worked for 16 years in the Scotia Junior High School library. She was a beautiful seamstress and cooked whole foods before that was commonplace. She provided a safe and loving home. Upon moving to Maine in 2001, she and Lawrence became active members of the First Baptist Church in Freeport. She will be remembered by many in Freeport as the lady walking with her rollator on Main St. every day in all kinds of weather. Sometimes she would let her daughter accompany her. Her faith, her dry sense of humor, and her perseverance served her well all of her life.

She lived the last two years of her life at Freeport Place Assisted Living, went to church every Sunday, and died peacefully at 101. She was predeceased by her husband, all of her siblings, and her dog Cookie who was the best dog in the world. She is survived by Cynthia Setchell, Lesa Andreasen and Chris Le Hay, grandchildren Anitra Smith and Andrew, Benjamin Le Hay, and Matthew Andreasen. Mieko Endoh is her beloved adopted daughter in Japan. She has three great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Ave., Suite 902, New York, NY 10018. Huntington’s has taken a terrible toll on her siblings and extended family.

A memorial service for Florence will be held at 11 a.m. on December 28, 2016 at the First Baptist Church, 185 Main St., Freeport.