Florence LaLonde

Florence Margaret LaLonde (née Cuthbertson), 99, passed away peacefully at Regency on the Lake Nursing Home in Fort Gratiot on Tuesday, November 1, 2016.

Florence was born on July 21, 1917 in Inwood, Ontario, just outside of Sarnia.

She met her husband, Clarence, at one of the many dances she attended with her sisters on both sides of the St. Clair River. The couple was married on September 7, 1940, at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Sarnia. Soon after, they moved to Port Huron.

Florence loved her working life, which included positions at J.J. Newberry's, Sperry's Department Store, McMorran Arena and Chrysler in Marysville. She took college courses to become a bookkeeper and continued her career at American Tape and Spiegel’s.

Florence reveled in retirement, because it gave her more time to give back to the community she loved. She volunteered at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital until her late 80s and she continued to be an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church.

She is survived by her devoted son, Jack; niece, Joyce (Jim) Fry of Marysville, nephew, Lyle LaLonde of Marysville, nieces, Judy, Barbara and Jackie of Lansing, nephew, Robert Young of North Carolina, and nephew, Fred (Cheryl) Grimley of Clyde; and loving family in Sarnia. Florence was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Edward in 2010 and her son, Christopher Michael in 1977.

Florence was a beautiful spirit who touched everyone she met. She was determined, too. Before she left us, she filled out an absentee ballot ahead of the U.S. presidential election. A naturalized U.S. citizen, Florence wanted to make sure she did her part in electing the nation's first female president.

A Memorial Service will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, November 12, 2016 in the Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home. The Reverend Joseph A. Gagnon will officiate.

The family prefers memorials be made to Habitat for Humanity.

Arrangements by the Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home.