Florence Waters

Florence Catherine (Robinson) Waters calmly passed from this life on July 19th, surrounded spiritually and physically by friends and family. With grace and calmness, Florence immediately accepted the terminal diagnosis she had been given, grateful for the full life she received. Florence lived a life that is both so typical and yet so unique, full of joys and glee as well as sorrow and profound loss, knowing setbacks and defeats but also attainments and triumphs. Florence was born in Topeka on March 4, 1924 to Orville and Lucille Robinson. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Jackie Robinson; her former husband, Earl Waters; her infant children Michael and Sarah Waters; and her son, Robert Waters. Florence is survived by her brother, Gerald Robinson; her children Jim Waters, Lou Ann Rutherford and Joe Waters; and a large extended family of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. Florence had a long career in nursing. She received her associate degree from St. Mary's in 1945 following her clinical training at St Francis Hospital, then joining the Nurse Cadet Corps at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in World War II; this was followed by fifty years of nursing at the Topeka VA hospital, from 1946 to 1996, working on neurology and psychiatric wards. Upon retirement she did private duty nursing and volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Response Team. A memorial service will be held for Florence at 11:00AM on Friday, August 4th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3611 Jewell Ave, Topeka. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kansas State Nurses Association or to www.uscadetnurse.org/foundation Condolence messages may be left for the family at www.dovecremation.com