Florence Davidovski

Florence Davidovski was born in post-war Paris in 1953, to Srebro Davidovski and Olga Tognet Davidovski, some 18 months before her parents emigrated to Baltimore so that her father could take up a position as resident surgeon in ophthalmology and otolaryngology at the old Eye Ear Nose and Throat hospital. The young family had lived on the Quai des Grands Augustins in the 5th arrondissement in a fourth floor walk-up. The transition to America was thrilling and a life-changing shift. Florence spoke only French until she began nursery school in Baltimore. At home, the family spoke French and all the girls had French nicknames.

In 1964, when the family moved from Bolton Hill to a new house in Roland Park, Florence joined the fourth grade at Roland Park Country School. She graduated from RPCS in 1971, earning the Cushman Prize for excelling in the arts. From an early age, she was a bright, talented and sensitive child who would shine in music, dance and singing, alongside her academics. Surely all her RPCS friends will remember the lines they memorized from Chaucer, the Latin declensions, and Ms. Gavrilovic's French classes.

And so her exuberant, ebullient, drama-filled, adventurous teen and young adult years began. She thrived in artistic settings, being one of the "Semiquavers" at RPCS, a group of talented singers who often performed at venues together with other independent school singing groups such as the Gilman School for boys. Modern Dance was a passion for Florence, who possessed tremendous physical grace and notable talent in those years, even considering dance as a profession. She studied with Dale Sehnert at the Peabody Institute for over a decade and performed frequently in student productions there. As well, Florence was a dedicated student of violin and orchestra at the Peabody Institute for many years. Some may remember that her talents included creative inventiveness in evading the daily violin practice demanded by her exacting parents. Notwithstanding those youthful hijinks, many years later she picked up the violin and the notes of Bach's Double Concerto came pouring out, indelibly printed in her brain and hands.

In the fall of 1971, she joined just the second group of women freshmen to be admitted to Johns Hopkins University (which had gone coed in 1970). Florence would describe the pressure and strangeness of being one of a handful of female students in a room of 500 pre-med young men cramming Organic Chemistry. It seemed pre-destined that she would become a doctor like her father. Yet it would be a hard road where she showed grit and perseverance despite many obstacles. After completing a year of training in cytopathology in Baltimore, Florence transferred to Bryn Mawr College for her junior and senior years, graduating in 1976 with honors and continued on to complete medical school at the Free University of Brussels in Belgium. Already being bilingual in French and English, she was able to make the adjustment to learning science and medicine in French. There she made deep, lifelong friendships that she maintained until the end. She returned to Baltimore to complete residency and join her father's ophthalmology practice.

Florence derived immense happiness from being mother to and loving Alexander Hormozi, her only child, of whom she was so very proud. Together with siblings, she was a caregiver for her mother and father as they aged in Baltimore, bringing not only her medical knowledge, but her deeply caring nature as well.

There was a strain of profound courage in Florence, as she confronted myriad health challenges in the later part of her life. Florence fought valiantly to surmount these setbacks, leaving no stone unturned. She never gave up and played her hand with bravado and determination.

Amid these many struggles, Florence found a way to connect her innate spirituality to a community of faith which provided her with loving support in so many ways. This was a source of great joy for her and she always tried hard to give back to her community and her loyal friends. In 2012, Florence found sustenance and comradeship by taking part in a medical mission to villages in Kenya, a trip that made a great impact and was part of her desire to serve others.

Everyone would agree that Florence had an unquenchable passion for life and enjoyment of the world around her. She loved going out and being with friends and acquaintances, she adored foreign travel, remembering her years in Brussels, she appreciated learning about new and exotic places, admired art, culture and all things of beauty, was a gourmet food connoisseur and accomplished cook. Above all, she loved engaging with her many friends from quite diverse walks of life, always curious about their experiences. Her sensitive and exuberant personality touched many: she was truly unique and special.

Florence is survived by her son Alexander Hormozi and his wife Leila Hormozi, her sisters Mira Davidovski and her husband Richard Borden and their children Nico and Noah Borden and Lulu Kauffman and her husband George and their children Kate Kauffman and Andrew Kauffman. She is predeceased by her parents Srebro and Olga Davidovski.

Friends may visit at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Road, on Friday, September 26, 2025, from 4-6 pm, at which time the funeral service will begin in the chapel at 6:00pm. The interment will be private.