|
 |
Centenarian celebrates a long life well-lived
|
| By: Anita Zimmerman |
November 04, 2009 |
|
 |
Florence Whalen (front, center) celebrated her 100th birthday. Joining her were (clockwise from front left) son Jerry, daughter-in-law Marylane, daughter Mary, daughter-in-law Marie and son Tom.
|
|
Florence Whalen, a longtime Bruce resident, trained to be a nurse and then lived the busy life of a rural doctor's wife.
Florence was born in Waconia, Minn., Oct. 26, 1909, third of eight children. Her family moved to Rogers, Minn., and spent a brief interlude in Florida before a hurricane convinced them to return to the Midwest. They eventually settled in Bruce.
In 1928, she entered St. Mary's School of Nursing in Ladysmith and studied to become a registered nurse. Four years later, she was asked to assist Dr. Maurice Whalen during a surgery. They married in 1937; five children followed.
The family lived in Bruce, where Maurice also practiced medicine. Although Florence focused on family and community activities, she still served as a private duty nurse whenever her husband's patients needed around-the-clock care.
Their story was chronicled by Brenda Quinn in a 1997 article in Good Old Days magazine. Although Florence worked at the bedsides of the contagious, she never caught their illnesses. When Maurice's patients couldn't afford to give him cash, they offered him payments of other kinds; in a photograph, Florence poses with one acquisition, an elaborate tramp art picture frame made of cigar boxes.
Besides nursing and parenting, Florence kept busy gardening, canning, cooking, sewing and crocheting. Her donuts were "highly sought after," son Tom says. When she fried up a batch for her church, "they were gone before the bake sale started."
In a poem to "The Doctor's Wife," the family's babysitter praised the Whalen family's warmth, sweetness and sacrifice whenever the doctor was needed in town. The poem, along with photos, nursing certification, newspaper clippings and other mementos, were compiled into a scrapbook by employees in Knapp Haven's activities department.
The book showcases bits from a long life well-lived: bowling scores from the 1950s through 1980s, when Florence was a champion bowler; family photos in front of the Christmas tree; Florence dressed as a witch for Halloween in 1949; clippings on golf games; and pictures of the ladies of her card club.
In one photo, Florence's grandchildren are wearing their homemade Christmas pajamas (all in red-and-white stripes, except one). She sewed pajamas for her grandchildren every year but ran out of material that year, so one grandson sported patchwork.
After Maurice retired from his practice, the couple traveled around the country. He passed away in 1990, and Florence lived alone in Bruce until a little more than a year ago.
During that time, she continued to volunteer at the Ladysmith Nursing Home even into her 90s, Tom adds.
For her volunteer efforts, she was given a certificate of appreciation from the Ladysmith Hospital and Nursing Home Auxiliary in 1976 and was honored as a lifetime member in 1992.
Florence's children in New Auburn and Eau Claire moved her to Chetek so she would be closer. Tom says they are proud of her independence, her spirit and the many gifts she's given to the world.
|
|
©The Chetek Alert 2009
|
|
|
