Florence Mildred Matthews

Graveside services for Florence M. Matthews, who passed away on Feb. 10, 2013, just 3 months shy of her 102nd birthday, will be held on Mon., July 22, at 2 p.m. from the East Pharsalia Cemetery. The Rev. Kenneth Negvesky of Dryden will officiate. There will be no calling hours.

The second youngest of 11 children born to LeRoy and Lydia Jeanette Bacon Bush, Florence was born on May 27, 1911 in McDonough. She lived in and around that area in her early years, moving to Norwich in the late 1970’s and eventually relocating in 2000, at the age of 88, to York, SC, to be near her granddaughter. In her 101 years, Florence saw many changes and was old enough to remember traveling by a surry with a fuzzy fringe on top, drawn by two horses, and gathering ice from a lake and storing it in an ice house until spring. She drove her car until the age of 95, and was especially proud of her family which has been traced and documented back to Abraham Lincoln. On Dec. 31, 1938, in South Otselic, Florence married John Matthews. During WW II, she was employed to make parachute cords, and she later worked for the fish line factory in Cortland. At home, she enjoyed gardening, was particularly fond of animals, and liked to crochet.

Florence is survived by her grandchildren and their spouses: Barbara and Dick Hill of Lady Lake, FL, Wayne and Nora Spink of Limestone, ME, Donna Baker of York, SC, Jim and Robin Spink of Atco, NJ, Ron and Ellen Spink of Geneseo, and Hugh and Kathy Spink of Lyons. Also surviving are Florence’s son-in-law, Donald Spink of Lyons, several great and great, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews; and her special birthday great granddaughter, Kelly Cole, who shared her birthday, both month and date, and cared for her during her last seven weeks. Florence was predeceased by her husband, John, on Aug. 1, 1983; by two children, a son who expired at birth and a daughter, Lydia Potter Spink; her grandson, Bruce Spink; and her siblings: Gladys, Mabel, Clarice, Edith, Eunice, Leah, LeVern, Clyde, Ralph, and Carl.

Arrangements are by the R. J. Fahy Funeral Home.