Florence Doane

When reflecting on the ways Florence Doane touched our lives, words such as confidante, compassionate, and fun-loving come to mind. She was guided by her unwavering faith along her life’s journey and provided a shining example of what it means to be a woman after God’s own heart. A mother of five bustling boys, Flossie viewed her role as a mother to be both her highest calling and her greatest blessing. All who knew her would agree that their lives were forever changed for the better because of such an amazing woman.

The decade known as the Roaring Twenties was a time of respite between the trying days of WWI that came to a close in 1919 and the unending hardship of the Great Depression throughout the thirties. Prosperity was the dominant force and America was going places we had never been. It was during this colorful time that a young couple from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was preparing for the birth of their baby. Florence Irene made her arrival on August 2, 1922, and was welcomed into the waiting arms of her parents, Joseph and Blanche (Wellman) Stephan. She joined her older brother, Joseph, in the Stephan family and was later followed by her sisters, LaVerle and Sheri. Flossie’s father built the grocery store on the corner of Burton and Jerome Streets in the Burton Heights neighborhood, and her family lived above the store. Young Flossie liked to keep busy riding bikes, sewing, knitting, and playing both the piano and the organ. She attended local schools and graduated from South High School in 1940.

It was as a young student that Flossie met the young man with whom she would share the best years of her life. His name was Clayton “Red” Doane, and they were quickly smitten with each other. With our involvement in WWII, Red served in the Marines and the couple corresponded through letters. When Red was discharged, he returned home and married his sweetheart on June 1, 1946, at the Banner Street United Brethren Church.

The newlyweds initially settled into a home that was just down the street from her parents’ grocery store. They soon welcomed their son, Thomas, into their hearts in 1947. A few years later they moved to a home on Wyoming Avenue in Wyoming Park, which is where the family grew to include four more active boys: Richard, Kenneth, Kirk, and James. Flossie appreciated that their home was near her sister, LaVerle and her dear friend Gail Wallace.

It goes without saying the Doane home was always a flurry of activity and with five active boys, there was usually enough mischief to go around. Truth be told, Flossie often got into some mischief of her own such as the time she decided to paint Jim’s football helmet with spray paint. When the paint wouldn’t come out as it neared the end of the can she decided to open it to pour the paint out. As she began to cut open the can with the opener, the can exploded covering the kitchen including the ceiling as well as herself with yellow paint. There was also the time Flossie decided to ride a motorbike, and she wound up driving into the neighbor’s house!

As her boys can attest, life with Flossie was often an adventure. They spent the first week of August every year camping in Ludington State Park, usually with the Skilling’s or sometimes with other families. These vacations usually kept Flossie up into the wee hours of the morning playing cards and there was more than one time that park rangers needed to come and ask the adults at the campsite to quiet down - not the kids! When the Skilling’s purchased a travel trailer with an oven, Flossie and Janet decided to make the kids pizzas and although it took nearly all day with such a small oven to work with, the kids savored every last bite. It was also not uncommon for Flossie and one of her best friends, Gail Wallace Mutcher, to load up the kids and take off for a day trip, whether to Ludington, the beach, or some other fun-filled destination. She and Gail were often so busy talking that neither one of them paid much attention to the mischief the boys were getting into - thank goodness.

There were many things that kept Flossie busy as the years went by. She was very active in her church, Banner Street United Brethren in Christ Church, now called Banner of Christ Church. Flossie served as treasurer there for many years, printed the bulletins, sang in the choir, and was a member of the Women’s Missionary Fellowship. She and her sister, Sherry, along with friends Marian Hull and Barb Phillips had a singing group called the Jubilairs that would often sing in church. Flossie loved to play cards with her friends, and these gatherings were more like card marathons that often continued all night long. She also regularly bowled with friends and was on a volleyball league for many years with Red. She never could resist playing a good practical joke either such as the times she brought peanut butter balls, which also included strategically placed chocolate covered wax balls, to the volleyball gathering. Flossie was a great cook whose most requested dishes were her shepherd’s pie, cookies, and donuts.

A steady force in the lives of her friends and loved ones, Florence Doane was a blessing in the lives of many. Her resilience, unwavering faith, and unending love for her family were just a few of the traits that made Flossie stand out above the rest. The greatest gift any mother could receive, her children arise and call her blessed as she was a true reflection of the Proverbs 31 Woman. She will be deeply missed while her memory remains forever in our hearts.

Florence “Flossie” Doane died peacefully on Friday, August 12, 2011 at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her husband Clayton in 1991, her son Kenneth in 1989, her grandson Bradley in 2008, and her sister Sheri in 2011. She will be greatly missed by her sons and their families: Thomas (Elise) Doane of Grand Rapids, Richard (Sally) Doane of Alto, Kirk (Barb) Doane, and James (Donna) Doane, all of Hudsonville; her daughter-in-law Sue (Roger) Edema of Lamont; 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; her brother Joseph (Wilma) Stephan of Wyoming, her sister LaVerle Minnema of Minneapolis, MN and her brother-in-law Dwight Hull of Sand Lake, as well as many nieces, nephews and lifelong friends.

Funeral services will be held for Flossie at 11:00 am on Monday, August 15, at the Banner of Christ Church in Byron Center, with her pastor Rev. Michael Caley officiating. Her family will meet with friends for visitation on Sunday from 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the Missions Fund of Banner of Christ Church, 1111 68th Street, SW, Byron Center, MI 49315. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to read Flossie’s life story, sign her guest book, or to leave a memory of Flossie for her family. Arrangements are in the care of Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc.