Florence Lorraine Menousek

Florence Lorraine “Flo” Menousek

June 9, 1926 – September 20, 2025

Florence (Flo) Lorraine Menousek, 99, passed away peacefully on September 20, 2025, at Quail Ridge Assisted Living in Pocatello. The Pocatello community lost a bright light that day. Flo was a beautiful, optimistic person who loved people, faced life with courage, and brought joy wherever she went.

Early Life & Education

Flo was born June 9, 1926, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Pocatello to Marie Louise Dufresne Escallier and Felix Ernest Escallier. She attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Bonneville and Franklin Junior High Schools, and graduated from Pocatello High School in 1944.

Marriage & Home Life

Flo met the love of her life, James Joseph “Jimmy” Menousek, and once she met him, she knew he was the one. They married on June 25, 1946, and shared 52 wonderful years together.

Throughout their marriage, Flo and Jimmy called Pocatello home. Early on, they purchased two surplus Army barracks, disassembled them, and used the lumber to build new homes — a project that reflected their shared resourcefulness and strong work ethic. They later settled at 32 Purkey Drive, a home filled with love, laughter, and countless family gatherings.

Flo and Jimmy also had a deep love of travel. They spent summers at their place in Island Park, building lifelong friendships with neighbors, and spent winters traveling south to Arizona in their fifth wheel to reconnect with friends as “snowbirds.”

Work & Career

Flo worked for a wide range of employers, including Troy Parisian Laundry, Ward’s Market, Zweigart’s Packing, and Sprouse Reitz. Her favorite and longest-held position was at Idaho State University (ISU), where she began as a machine operator and earned several accreditations that advanced her the accounting department. Flo dedicated 29 years to ISU and cherished both the work and the friendships she made there. She and Jimmy also volunteered at university events, helping at the ASISU Minidome.

Community Involvement

Flo was always active and involved in the community. She was a proud member of Pocatello Toastmistress, BPOE Does, Eagles, American Legion Auxiliary, Idaho Golf Association, Riverside and Highland Golf Courses, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority (for 50 years), Gate City Ladies Club, and the Red Hats. She played bridge, pinochle, and bunco and held numerous offices in these organizations, including president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary.

Travel & Adventures

Flo nourished her love of travel throughout her life. She was a member of the Princess Captain’s Circle, she explored the world with curiosity and joy. Her journeys took her to many remarkable places, including Mazatlán, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, New England, the Caribbean, Northern Europe, the Pacific Islands, the Bahamas, Alaska, the Mexican Riviera, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal, Scotland, Ireland, and the Eastern Seaboard.

Her adventurous spirit shone brightly well into her later years. At age 89, she went on a cruise with her nephew Felix to Mazatlán, where she bravely rode 12 zip lines – half terrified and half smiling all the away. On a trip to Croatia with Felix and Marie, she broke her hip and underwent surgery but remained cheerful and made the best of her time there. One of her favorite adventures was a trip to Bali, Indonesia, where she delighted in feeding tigers and enjoying the island’s vibrant culture. As her nephew Felix fondly said, “she was not afraid to go anywhere or do anything.”

Family

While Flo and Jimmy never had children of their own, family was always at the heart of their lives. She is survived by her nephews Felix (Marie) Dalldorf of San Jose, California; Marcus Dalldorf of Mexico; and Willis Dalldorf of Mexico; Danny Menousek and Terry Menousek of Pocatello, Idaho; and her nieces Kristen Edwards of Pocatello, Idaho, and Nancy Falter of Colorado. She is also survived by four grandnephews, Joseph Dalldorf and Johnathon Dalldorf of California, and Matthew and Daniel Thompson-Dalldorf of Mexico.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Felix and Marie Escallier; her brother, Felix Escallier, who passed away just one day after birth; her sister, Eva Marie Dalldorf (2018); and her beloved husband, Jimmy Menousek.

Services

A rosary and visitation will be held at 10:00 AM on October 11, 2025, at Wilks Funeral Home in Chubbuck, followed by a Funeral Mass at Noon at St. Anthony’s Chapel. A reception will follow in the parish hall downstairs. Private burial will take place at Mountain View Cemetery at 3:00 PM.

The family invites all who knew and loved Flo to join them in celebrating her extraordinary life, sharing memories, and honoring the joy and light she brought to everyone she met.