Florence M. Koerner, 89, Hays, died Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014, at Hays Medical Center. She was born Oct. 20, 1924, in Loretta to John and Catherine (Schoenfeldt) Basgall.

She married Julius Koerner Sr. on April 20, 1942, in Hays. He preceded her in death Sept. 27, 1988.

She worked at Travenol in Hays for many years and was a Senior Companion for many years. She cleaned homes, was a personal attendant and worked in a bakery. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Daughters of Isabella, the Perpetual Adorers, and was a past member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, the St. John's Auxiliary, and the Christian Mothers in Munjor.

She taught religion at both St. Francis Catholic Church in Munjor and Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. She enjoyed going to church every day and praying the rosary. She also enjoyed baking, sewing, crocheting, bingo, pinochle, making homemade noodles and chocolate popcorn.

Survivors include two sons, Julius Koerner Jr., and wife, Mary Jane, Munjor, and Kevin Koerner and wife, Geri, Hays; five daughters, Ida Mae Gottschalk, Galesville, Wis., Rose Ann Jacobs and husband, James, Hays, Nora Koelsch and husband, Jim, Clearwater, Karen Bieker, Hays, and Colleen Camarata and husband, Dr. Joseph, Overland Park; a sister JoAnn Schuckman, La Crosse; a daughter-in-law, Judy (Koerner) Smith; 17 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a son, Richard M. Koerner; a grandson, Russell Werth; a granddaughter, Nancy Austin; a great-granddaughter, Julie Windholz; two sons-in-law, Tom Bieker and Glenn Philleps; nine brothers, Henry, Fidelis, Clarence, Everett, Sylvester, John, Jerome, Maurice and Arthur Basgall; and three sisters, Mary Urban, Helen Holmeister and Frances Schuckman.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays; burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Monday, both at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine, Hays, KS 67601. A Perpetual Adorers rosary will be at 6 p.m. Sunday, a Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:30 p.m., followed by a vigil at 7 p.m., all at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Building Fund, Hays Senior Companions or Holy Family Elementary School in care of the funeral home.

Hays Daily News, 9/12/2014