Florence M. Van

Florence M. Van, 98, of Wakefield, Nebraska died on Monday, March 21, 2011 at the Wakefield Health Care Center in Wakefield. Funeral services for Florence will be held on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. at the Wakefield Presbyterian Church; Pastor Charity Potter will be officiating. The visitation will be held on Thursday from 3:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the Bressler ~ Munderloh Funeral Home. The visitation will continue on Friday beginning at 1:00 P.M. at the Church. Burial will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. Florence was born on May 27, 1912 near Bloomfield, Nebraska, the daughter of Charles and Rena Bell (Ritchey) Jeffrey. She attended a rural school and a small country church near Bloomfield, until the family moved to Wayne, Nebraska when Florence was 9 years old. She was baptized in the Methodist Church in Wayne and attended rural school until attending and graduating from Wayne Prep. She attended and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1934 from Wayne College. Her first teaching job after graduation was at the Lincoln School East of Wakefield. She taught there for three years until she was married to Vernon Van in 1937. She taught English from 1943 until 1948 at Wakefield High School. While living in Wakefield she was active in the Presbyterian Church, a member of P.E.O. and other church organizations. In 1950 Florence and Van moved to Madison, Nebraska where he worked for the Soil Conservation Program. She taught Sunday School and was also Sunday School Superintendent and an Elder for many years. Florence worked with the Boy and Girl Scouts. She taught school for one year at a rural school near Madison and for many years in the grade school. Florence enjoyed every minute of teaching. Vernon died on December 27, 1992. Florence spent her free time hunting, fishing and playing golf. When they retired, they moved back to Wakefield to be near their relatives and friends. She loved her dogs and the companionship they provided until she moved into assisted living and later the care center in Wakefield. While living there she met many new friends and a wonderful staff. Florence is survived by a son Roger L. Van of Tecumseh, Nebraska a daughter Rosemary L. Van of Dallas, Texas, a niece and her husband Patricia and William Piwenitzky, two nephews and their wives: Charles and Patricia Jeffrey and Charles and Betty Soderberg. She is also survived by many great nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and her past students. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Vernon, brothers Wayne, Blair and Harold Jeffrey and sisters: Helen Hupp, Inez Soderberg and Lila Rieth.