Florence L. Covely

1923 - 2019

Florence L. Covely

Mt. Ephraim - Florence L. Covely (nee Gross), a life-long resident of Mt. Ephraim, passed away Friday, July 12, 2019. The daughter of the late Lillian Schmitt and Otto Gruss, Floss was born on November 10, 1923. Floss was voted "peppiest" in the Audubon High School Class of 1941. While at Audubon, Floss was the captain of the tennis team, a member of the drum and bugle corps, a school newspaper staffer, and had the lead in the junior play.

During her senior trip to Washington, D.C., Floss fell in love with her classmate, John Covely. While John was serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the European Theater of Operations during WWII, Floss did her part for the war effort on the home front and worked as a PBX operator at the New York Shipyard in Camden. After the war, John returned home, and the sweethearts married in 1946. Florence enjoyed the poodle grooming business she shared with her sister-in-law, and always held a special place in her heart for her favorite poodle PomPom. Floss loved rooting for the Phillies and Eagles. She and John also enjoyed many "happy hours" summering in Avalon. The couple lived happily together in the home they built, for their 71 years of marriage, until John's death in 2017.

Florence loved criss crossing the United States and Canada for a year as a chaperone to her granddaughters while they performed on a national tour of The Sound of Music, and in New York City for several seasons in A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden.

Florence was the loving mother of Lynne, adoring Mom-mom of Jill (husband Stephen Miller) and Cara Horner, proud great-grandmother of Garrett and Gibson Miller, favorite sister-in-law of Harry and Geri Covely, and a special aunt.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her visitation Thursday, July 18 from 9 to 10:30 AM at the Mahaffey Milano Funeral Home, 11 E. Kings Hwy., Mt. Ephraim, NJ 08059.

Funeral Service to follow 10:30 AM Thursday also at the funeral home. Interment Locustwood Mem. Park, Cherry Hill, NJ Family requests in lieu of flowers donations may be sent to M.E.P.R.I., PO Box 3, Mt. Ephraim, NJ 08059 in Florence's memory. Condolences can be shared at www.milanofuneralhome.com.