Florence Van Kirk

Florence B. Van Kirk, age 94, of Ripon, died Monday evening, June 16, 2003, at Parkview Care Center, Ripon.

She was born March 30, 1909, in Berlin, the daughter of Furman and Ella (Armstrong) Van Kirk. She received her early education at Clark Elementary School in Berlin. In 1921, along with her parents and brother, Gilbert, moved to Ripon where they farmed. They also bottled milk and delivered it by horse and wagon to the residents of Ripon. In 1927 she graduated from Ripon High School. She graduated from Oshkosh Business College, and started work at the Advertisers as a stenographer on January 24, 1929. When she retired in May of 1972, she had advanced to the position of office manager. She was a member of Immanuel United Methodist Church of Ripon, and helped with the counting of offering money.

Florence’s father passed away in 1946, and after her mother passed away in 1966, Florence started traveling and took several trips to Europe. She liked to play cards, and volunteered at Parkview Nursing Home helping with bingo for 25 years.
Her close friends and co-workers called her Miss V. or Vanny. Florence also liked to follow the stock market and discuss investments. She had always been grateful to the people who helped care for her mother all the years she was bedridden.

Survivors include her brother, Gilbert Van Kirk of Ripon; Lorraine Fischer and family, Calvin Fischer and family, Kenneth Fischer all of Ripon, and Karen Denkert and family of Freeport, IL. She was preceded in death by parents and sister-in-law, Erna Van Kirk.

Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 20, 2003, at Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home, Ripon with Rev. David A. Busker officiating. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Berlin. Memorials to University of Wisconsin-Madison for Oncology and Cardiology research.

Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home, Ripon, is assisting the family.
www.butzinmarchant.com