Florence Ellen Grabau

Florence Ellen (Porter) Grabau, age 90, of Shiloh, passed away peacefully Friday, August 22, 2025 at Dammert Nursing Care, Our Lady of Snows, in Belleville, IL.

She was born October 25, 1934, in London, England, the daughter of the late William J. and Florence R. M. (White) Porter. She married Douglas E. Grabau on March 6, 1954, in New Malden, England. He preceded her in death in 2009.

During World War II's Battle of Britain, London areas evacuated schoolchildren aged 4-14 to outer communities throughout Britain. Flo and her brother Bill were sent to reside with a farm family living in Bentley, Yorkshire in 1942. She and her brother were reunited permanently with their parents near the end of the war in 1944. In 1949 she completed Secondary School education in London and got her first job at age 15 at Bentalls Department Store in Kingston upon Thames. It is there she began a courtship with Douglas in 1951. Douglas was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served at Royal Air Force (RAF) South Ruislip and then RAF Upper Heyford. Flo married Douglas in March, 1954 and in that same year converted to the Roman Catholic Church in New Malden. She remained very active in church societies and ministries throughout most of her adult life. In September 1954 that year she preceded her husband and stayed with his family in Colorado with whom she had not met previously. She stayed there while she awaited Doug's transfer to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Air National Station. In Minneapolis she had their first child (Guy). Two years later in 1956, Glenn was born and her husband was sent on a remote assignment to Narsarsuaq Air Base in southern Greenland. A year later, raising two young children on her own, the family reunited and was transferred to RAF Manston, 80 miles east of London. It was here that Kim was born. A year following that they were transferred to Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany. In 1960, Flo, Doug and family were transferred to McChord AFB, Washington and in 1962 they were assigned to Lajes Air Base in the Azores. In 1963 Florence became a Naturalized U.S. Citizen. After 4 years in the Azores the family moved on to Altus AFB, Oklahoma, where their last child was born (Kelly). Shortly after arriving, the family was shipped out to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul Illinois and then Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas followed by a return to Chanute. After 4 moves in two years the family made its final move to Scott AFB, Illinois in 1968 where Douglas retired in 1970. The family settled in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Later moves led Florence, and her husband to Panama City, FL, and Virginia Beach, VA. In Florida, Florence volunteered for many hours with Habitat for Humanity and in the church there before she and Doug moved to Mulvane, Kansas in 2006 where Doug later passed away. After several years she moved to Olathe, KS and then Shiloh, IL to be with family. Throughout her life Flo was an avid quilter and enjoyed crocheting and sewing.

Flo is survived by her children: Guy (Suzann) Grabau of Twin Lakes, CO, Glenn (Diane) Grabau of Palmetto, FL, Kim (Jim) Thorup or Princeton, KS, and Kelly (Walt) Jones of Shiloh, IL.; Sixteen grandchildren: Ellen Grabau, Michael (Felicity) Grabau, Sara (Francis) Reyes, Melissa Sullivan, Carrie (Christopher) Renick, Teresa Jones, Rebecca (Steven) Reynolds), Daniel Jones, Jacob Jones, Ryan Thorup, Jesse Thorup, Michelle Porter, Sheri Grabau, Barbara King, Alexa Grabau, and Jupiter Grabau. and ten great grandchildren: Kendra, Lily, Claire, Lucas, Aaron, Ruby, Norah, William, Violet and Steven.

Two siblings: William (Kate) Porter of Majorca, Spain and Shirley (Cliff) Winckless of Woodlands of St Mary, England.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Taylor (Kymberley) Thorup.

Flo's long life is best paraphrased by a statement made by President Ronald Reagan, "Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the [veteran's spouse doesn't] have that problem." Flo made a difference as a wife, a mother and grandparent and a friend to so many. She will be missed by those who knew and loved her.

A memorial service for Flo will be announced at a later date. Following the service, her cremated remains will be interred with her husband at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.

If desired, memorial contributions may be made in her memory giving to Tunnels to Towers at https://t2t.org.