Mrs. Florine Agnes Mort

Florine Agnes Mort, age 91, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully with her family present on Sunday, November 17, 2013. Florine was born on May 14, 1922 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. She was preceded in death by her parents Alfred and Cordelia (Dumas) Gagnon, her brothers Gilbert, Theodore, and Alfred Jr, her husband Joseph Leo Mort, her 5th son Christopher Mort and her grandson Patrick Mort. Beside her surviving sister Cordelia ‘Corkie’ Guisgand of Wayne, Michigan, Florine is also survived by her other seven children: Tim and his wife Debbie (Starrs) of Canton, Michigan, Greg and his wife Sharon (Standridge) of Scottsdale, Arizona, Jef and his wife Kathi Ivany of Traverse City, Michigan, Cindi Smith of Scottsdale, Arizona, Beverly and her husband Darren Albrecht of Traverse City, Michigan, Randolph of Karlin, Michigan, and Matt and his wife Nicole (Mahre) of Phoenix, Arizona. Also surviving Florine are her grandchildren Chase Albrecht, Benjamin Mort, Nathan Mort, Erin Mort and Nicole (Mort) Barr plus Nicole’s two sons Max and Nicholas Barr. Florine’s mother was also born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont with French-Canadian roots so French albeit the Canadian dialect was spoken a lot while Florine grew up. Her parents, she and her younger siblings Al and Corkie moved to Dearborn Michigan in the 1940s. Florine worked in a war plant in metro Detroit during World War II. Her older brother Gil and Florine were very close; after the war she had introduced her friend Joyce Beulow to Gil and they married in April 1946. Gil, who was home from the Army, introduced Florine to another serviceman, Joe Mort. Less than a year later, she married the love of her life on Saturday, November 9th 1946, and they settled in Garden City Michigan. Both were wonderfully busy for their 43 years together - raising 8 children; the family doctor joked that he had put in a zipper for the C-sections – all 8! Florine’s first 3 boys were Timmy born in 1947, Greg in 1949, and Jef in 1952. After just over a 3 year break, her first daughter Cynthia was born. After almost another 3 year break, in 1958, her second daughter Beverly was born. The first of the next 3 boys, Randy, came quickly at the end of 1959 while it was over 4 years until Chris was born in 1964. Matt, the youngest, was born over 2 years later in 1966 when Florine was 44! She was a loving mother to all, always available for any of the children anytime. Florine’s husband Joe was a U.S. postal clerk and for many years he rode on a train mail car from Detroit to Chicago while she was the home maker and truly a house-wife of the era. After the kids were mostly grown up she picked up part-time work during the 1970’s as a school cafeteria aide for her mad money. She even went back to high school and received her high school diploma while in her 50s! All the kids went to parochial schools and Florine ran the Rosary club for St. Raphael in Garden City; growing rosary beads, making rosaries and sending them out with missions. After Joe passed in 1989, she sold the home in Garden City where both had raised the 8 kids. She moved up to a lake-side Grand Traverse winterized cottage that Joe had found in the early 80s. He was from T.C. and Florine was up every summer since 1947 – the area reminded her of the Vermont hills. Florine, in her new red 1990 Ford, was always on the go around Traverse with her favorite sister-in-law Bernice Mort. Almost every winter up until 2010 Florine would fly out to Arizona where her kids Greg, Cindi and Matt live with their families. While in Arizona she frequently would stay with her daughter Cindi; they loved their happy hours with Florine’s standing order for a Cuba Libre. In July 2007, Florine was visibly impacted after losing her son Chris when a now convicted DUI driver ran a stop sign killing him and a 13 year old girl in a car going the other way. Starting later in 2007, Florine stayed with her daughter Beverly while in Traverse City – Bev was her primary care-giver. Along with Bev, siblings Cindi and Jef shared helping Florine cope with assisted living. Florine was a life-long Catholic and an Immaculate Conception parishioner. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may consider a donation to Florine’s family, c/o Beverly Richardson or the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan. A memorial visitation and celebration of her life will be held at Reynold Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013 from 5 to 8 p.m, with a rosary held at 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 at 11 a.m. with visitation an hour before at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Traverse City. Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories with Florine’s family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.

Mrs. Florine Agnes Mort

May 14, 1922 - November 17, 2013