Florence Catherine (Robinson) Waters calmly passed from this life on July 19th, surrounded spiritually and physically by friends and family. With grace and calmness, Florence immediately accepted the terminal diagnosis she had been given, grateful for the full life she received. Florence lived a life that is both so typical and yet so unique, full of joys and glee as well as sorrow and profound loss, knowing setbacks and defeats but also attainments and triumphs. Florence was born in Topeka on March 4, 1924 to Orville and Lucille Robinson
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Jackie Robinson; her former husband, Earl Waters, her infant children Michael and Sarah Waters, and her son, Robert Waters. Florence is survived by her brother, Gerald Robinson; her children Jim Waters, Lou Ann Rutherford and Joe Waters; and a large extended family of grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.
Florence knew early on the need for kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. It is told that "Florence" was not a common name until Florence Nightingale. Perhaps it was at her christening that fate or destiny, life or God led her to a rewarding lifelong career in nursing. There is no easy way to separate "Nurse" from who Florence was. Her profession allowed her a fuller expression of kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. She received her associate degree from St. Marys and began her clinical training at St Francis Hospital, then joined the Nurse Cadet Corps at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in World War II where she cared for survivors of the Bataan death march among the many others (she fondly remembered a Civil War veteran that smoked a cigar after each of his frequent procedures). This was followed by fifty years of nursing at the Topeka VA hospital, from 1946 to 1996, working on neurology and psychiatric wards with her last patients having returned from Desert Shield. Florence also helped petition Congress for Cadet Nurse Corps members to receive federal civil service time to their pensions. She and two other VA nurses did this by visiting the Washington offices of every Senator and Congressman. Upon "retirement" she did private duty nursing and volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Response Team.
Florence did have a life outside of nursing, being a mother and grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt, cousin, neighbor and stalwart friend. Florence spent much time researching family history and she loved to travel, going to Ireland and England (partly to research family history), a trip to Austria with her grandson, many trips to visit relatives throughout the country and of course one of her favorite places: Colorado. Florence knew the importance of simple acts of kindness, how much compassion is worth to ones in need, how healing forgiveness is, whether directed to others or to ourselves, and how acceptance of ourselves and others can make life richer. Florence knew that little things can make the world a better place, even if is just putting on deodorant and brushing our teeth!
A memorial service will be held for Florence at 11:00AM on Friday, August 4th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3611 Jewell Ave, Topeka, Bishop Lamb officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kansas State Nurses Association, 1109 SW Topeka Blvd. Topeka, KS 66612 or to the Cadet Nurse Corps. at uscadetnurse.org/foundation.
(Dove Cremation)
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Jackie Robinson; her former husband, Earl Waters, her infant children Michael and Sarah Waters, and her son, Robert Waters. Florence is survived by her brother, Gerald Robinson; her children Jim Waters, Lou Ann Rutherford and Joe Waters; and a large extended family of grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.
Florence knew early on the need for kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. It is told that "Florence" was not a common name until Florence Nightingale. Perhaps it was at her christening that fate or destiny, life or God led her to a rewarding lifelong career in nursing. There is no easy way to separate "Nurse" from who Florence was. Her profession allowed her a fuller expression of kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. She received her associate degree from St. Marys and began her clinical training at St Francis Hospital, then joined the Nurse Cadet Corps at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in World War II where she cared for survivors of the Bataan death march among the many others (she fondly remembered a Civil War veteran that smoked a cigar after each of his frequent procedures). This was followed by fifty years of nursing at the Topeka VA hospital, from 1946 to 1996, working on neurology and psychiatric wards with her last patients having returned from Desert Shield. Florence also helped petition Congress for Cadet Nurse Corps members to receive federal civil service time to their pensions. She and two other VA nurses did this by visiting the Washington offices of every Senator and Congressman. Upon "retirement" she did private duty nursing and volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Response Team.
Florence did have a life outside of nursing, being a mother and grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt, cousin, neighbor and stalwart friend. Florence spent much time researching family history and she loved to travel, going to Ireland and England (partly to research family history), a trip to Austria with her grandson, many trips to visit relatives throughout the country and of course one of her favorite places: Colorado. Florence knew the importance of simple acts of kindness, how much compassion is worth to ones in need, how healing forgiveness is, whether directed to others or to ourselves, and how acceptance of ourselves and others can make life richer. Florence knew that little things can make the world a better place, even if is just putting on deodorant and brushing our teeth!
A memorial service will be held for Florence at 11:00AM on Friday, August 4th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3611 Jewell Ave, Topeka, Bishop Lamb officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kansas State Nurses Association, 1109 SW Topeka Blvd. Topeka, KS 66612 or to the Cadet Nurse Corps. at uscadetnurse.org/foundation.
(Dove Cremation)
Florence Catherine (Robinson) Waters calmly passed from this life on July 19th, surrounded spiritually and physically by friends and family. With grace and calmness, Florence immediately accepted the terminal diagnosis she had been given, grateful for the full life she received. Florence lived a life that is both so typical and yet so unique, full of joys and glee as well as sorrow and profound loss, knowing setbacks and defeats but also attainments and triumphs. Florence was born in Topeka on March 4, 1924 to Orville and Lucille Robinson
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Jackie Robinson; her former husband, Earl Waters, her infant children Michael and Sarah Waters, and her son, Robert Waters. Florence is survived by her brother, Gerald Robinson; her children Jim Waters, Lou Ann Rutherford and Joe Waters; and a large extended family of grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.
Florence knew early on the need for kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. It is told that "Florence" was not a common name until Florence Nightingale. Perhaps it was at her christening that fate or destiny, life or God led her to a rewarding lifelong career in nursing. There is no easy way to separate "Nurse" from who Florence was. Her profession allowed her a fuller expression of kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. She received her associate degree from St. Marys and began her clinical training at St Francis Hospital, then joined the Nurse Cadet Corps at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in World War II where she cared for survivors of the Bataan death march among the many others (she fondly remembered a Civil War veteran that smoked a cigar after each of his frequent procedures). This was followed by fifty years of nursing at the Topeka VA hospital, from 1946 to 1996, working on neurology and psychiatric wards with her last patients having returned from Desert Shield. Florence also helped petition Congress for Cadet Nurse Corps members to receive federal civil service time to their pensions. She and two other VA nurses did this by visiting the Washington offices of every Senator and Congressman. Upon "retirement" she did private duty nursing and volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Response Team.
Florence did have a life outside of nursing, being a mother and grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt, cousin, neighbor and stalwart friend. Florence spent much time researching family history and she loved to travel, going to Ireland and England (partly to research family history), a trip to Austria with her grandson, many trips to visit relatives throughout the country and of course one of her favorite places: Colorado. Florence knew the importance of simple acts of kindness, how much compassion is worth to ones in need, how healing forgiveness is, whether directed to others or to ourselves, and how acceptance of ourselves and others can make life richer. Florence knew that little things can make the world a better place, even if is just putting on deodorant and brushing our teeth!
A memorial service will be held for Florence at 11:00AM on Friday, August 4th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3611 Jewell Ave, Topeka, Bishop Lamb officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kansas State Nurses Association, 1109 SW Topeka Blvd. Topeka, KS 66612 or to the Cadet Nurse Corps. at uscadetnurse.org/foundation.
(Dove Cremation)
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Jackie Robinson; her former husband, Earl Waters, her infant children Michael and Sarah Waters, and her son, Robert Waters. Florence is survived by her brother, Gerald Robinson; her children Jim Waters, Lou Ann Rutherford and Joe Waters; and a large extended family of grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.
Florence knew early on the need for kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. It is told that "Florence" was not a common name until Florence Nightingale. Perhaps it was at her christening that fate or destiny, life or God led her to a rewarding lifelong career in nursing. There is no easy way to separate "Nurse" from who Florence was. Her profession allowed her a fuller expression of kindness and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. She received her associate degree from St. Marys and began her clinical training at St Francis Hospital, then joined the Nurse Cadet Corps at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in World War II where she cared for survivors of the Bataan death march among the many others (she fondly remembered a Civil War veteran that smoked a cigar after each of his frequent procedures). This was followed by fifty years of nursing at the Topeka VA hospital, from 1946 to 1996, working on neurology and psychiatric wards with her last patients having returned from Desert Shield. Florence also helped petition Congress for Cadet Nurse Corps members to receive federal civil service time to their pensions. She and two other VA nurses did this by visiting the Washington offices of every Senator and Congressman. Upon "retirement" she did private duty nursing and volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Response Team.
Florence did have a life outside of nursing, being a mother and grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt, cousin, neighbor and stalwart friend. Florence spent much time researching family history and she loved to travel, going to Ireland and England (partly to research family history), a trip to Austria with her grandson, many trips to visit relatives throughout the country and of course one of her favorite places: Colorado. Florence knew the importance of simple acts of kindness, how much compassion is worth to ones in need, how healing forgiveness is, whether directed to others or to ourselves, and how acceptance of ourselves and others can make life richer. Florence knew that little things can make the world a better place, even if is just putting on deodorant and brushing our teeth!
A memorial service will be held for Florence at 11:00AM on Friday, August 4th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3611 Jewell Ave, Topeka, Bishop Lamb officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kansas State Nurses Association, 1109 SW Topeka Blvd. Topeka, KS 66612 or to the Cadet Nurse Corps. at uscadetnurse.org/foundation.
(Dove Cremation)
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