Florence J. McCaulley, 95, passed away December 21, 2018, in Moline, after an eight-year struggle with Alzheimer’s. Florence had resided at Lighthouse in Silvis beginning in February 2011, and at Heartland Healthcare in Moline since October 2018. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, January 12, 2019, at First Presbyterian Church, East Moline.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m., Friday, at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., Moline, with additional visitation one hour prior to the funeral at the church. Burial will be at Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church or to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
Florence was born January 4, 1923 in rural Atkinson, IL the daughter of Robert and Marion Allen Angus. She was their third child and only daughter. Florence was a farm girl and attended school in Atkinson.
The family was a first-generation family, as Florence’s parents came to this country from Northern Ireland in 1919. The family faced its share of hard times during the Depression years, and struggled to overcome Robert’s death in a farming accident in 1933. The oldest son, James, took a job while still in school to help make ends meet and with the industriousness of Marion and the help of relatives and their church the family managed to survive intact.
Florence moved to Moline after graduating from high school in order to attend business school in the early 1940’s. She rented an apartment with Carl and Edna Brenstrom and waited tables and made it through business school, eventually working as a secretary at the Rock Island Arsenal and later at IH. In December 1947, she met the love of her life, Robert McCaulley.
They married September 25, 1948 and had three sons; Allen, Mark, and Brian. Florence was a born homemaker, and her culinary talents gleaned from years at her mother’s side, provided many terrific meals; particularly noteworthy was her pie making. Robert was employed as a tool and die maker at John Deere Spreader and later at John Deere Harvester his entire working life, and his employment allowed the family to take many memorable summer vacations, including a trip to the New York World’s Fair in 1965.
Florence was always the chief organizer for the summer vacations. As the boys grew up and moved from grade school to high school and college, Florence took a job at Sears in catalog sales. It was a natural fit, as she enjoyed talking on the phone and educating customers about what they could buy from the Sears catalog.
Florence had many friends from her years working and raising children, as well as girlfriends dating back to her days on the farm and in 4H. Florence and Robert enjoyed many evenings out with friends, and enjoyed connecting with relatives from both sides of the family. They were also active in the life of their church—First Presbyterian in East Moline.
Florence’s husband, Robert, passed away March 8, 1994. After living on her own for a few years Florence married John Service. John had lost his wife and attended the same church as Florence.
On September 3, 2003 they married and enjoyed some good years together before John passed away April 1, 2009. Florence was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Robert, her second husband John, and her two brothers, James and Harold. She leaves behind her three sons and spouses: Allen and Linnea, Mark and Marilyn, and Brian and Kathy.
She has four grand-children: Grant and Laura, Megan and Rowdy, Colin and Anna, and Evan and Katie; and five great grand-children: Luke, Rachel, Cooper, Micah, and Bennett. The family wants to acknowledge the wonderful care she received from the staff at Lighthouse in Silvis, from the staff at Heartland in Moline, and from her longtime physician, Dr. David Ade. The family also wishes to thank all of Florence’s wonderful friends who continued to stay in touch, and the members of First Presbyterian Church for their tender loving care as she made her journey from this world to the next.
Memories may be shared on the tribute wall.
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