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Florence J. Penrod went to be with her Lord and Savior on March 14, 2022, at the age of 91. Known to her friends as "Flo", she was born on September 26, 1930, in Olive Branch, Illinois, the eldest child of William and Audrey Milan. From a humble rural childhood in southern Illinois — where she lived for a time on an island in the middle of the Mississippi River, attended one-room schools, and lost two homes to fire and flood — her beginnings did not limit nor define her life goals and accomplishments. She attended Dongola High School, in Dongola, Illinois, and there met the love of her life, Paul Penrod. Their "love story" and journey from poverty to Paul's involvement as an aerospace engineer with NASA is the stuff of movies. They were married for nearly 63 years.
From a young age, she sought a better life and knew that the key would be higher education. With encouragement and financial help from her Aunt Lady, Florence attended Missouri Baptist School of Nursing and there found her professional calling as a registered nurse.
She and Paul were married September 27, 1952, and less than a week later were separated by the Korean War. While Paul served his country overseas, Florence worked for the Red Cross in a mobile blood donor program in central Missouri. Florence worked as a nurse wherever she and Paul lived, but most of her career involved school nursing in the Clear Creek Independent School District. Hired in 1963 as their first school nurse and guided by her motto "Better education through Better health", she developed a school health program that by her retirement in 1991 had grown to 28 nurses on 26 school campuses.
Paul and Florence moved to San Antonio in 1992, and a year after her retirement, she was hired by American as an occupational health nurse at their new reservation center. She had to overcome an extreme fear of flying in her new role, but quickly found her courage and joy again, helping people pursue better health.
The qualities that made her a wonderful nurse, also made her an exceptional friend, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Florence was a faithful woman who loved deeply all her life. She often spoke of her thankfulness to God for the wonderful life that she enjoyed…her family and friends thank God for the blessing that Florence has been to them.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul, and is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Paula and David McGee; grandsons and their wives, William and Kara McGee, Michael and Beth McGee, and great grandchildren, Emilia, Connor, Lace and Lily (coming soon). She will be deeply missed by family and friends…but we praise God that we will see her again! To God be all the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Her family thanks all the staff at Morningside Manor for the compassionate and attentive care given to Florence in recent months. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to Alamo Colleges Foundation (Florence Penrod Nursing Scholarship).
MEMORIAL SERVICETUESDAY, MARCH 29, 202210:00 AMPORTER LORING NORTH CHAPEL2102 N LOOP 1604 E
Interment to follow at a later date at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
You are invited to signthe Guestbook atwww.porterloring.com
Arrangements with
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Porter Loring Mortuary North.
1 Entry
Flo and Paul were in my square dance group - John and Carlie King - and we had so much fun. Our Sunday School class was a blessing - so much to do and memories. We knew we would be in the Alamo Cafe eating Mexican food on Friday nights after dancing. So much fun. On Sundays, we knew where we would be. We enjoyed everything we did together. You were blesed with wonderful parents. They were a blessing to all of us. Carlie King
Carlie King
Friend
October 29, 2023
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