Florence Simons

October 10, 1925
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January 2, 2021

Florence “Flo” Simons, 95, passed away on Saturday evening, January 2, 2021.  Flo resided at Autumn’s Promise Assisted Living Facility but was able to spend her last weeks living with her family at her son, Dan and daughter-in-law, Laurel Simons home, enjoying a wonderful Christmas Season surrounded by her family.  She was born on October 10, 1925 in Oconto Falls to the late Edward and Lillian (Knaus) Van Haren.  Flo attended Green Bay East High School and graduated from Algoma High School.  After high school, she and her sisters worked for Western Union Company in Milwaukee and California.  She met Jim while living in New Franken and attending East High School.  They continued their courtship while Jim was serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.  On October 30, 1948, she married Jim at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hilbert, WI. He preceded her in death on December 16, 1987. She lived in New Franken her entire married life where they owned Simons Shoe Store.

Flo was an artist, she enjoyed china painting, ceramics, sewing, golfing, square dancing, going to lunch and movies with her Red Hatter’s group, which she loved dearly.  She also liked playing scrabble and doing the daily crossword puzzles in ink.

She especially enjoyed the summers at Riley’s Bay with life-long friends Bud and Jean Thompson.

Her birthday was her favorite day of the year.  She would golf with her three sons up until her 92nd birthday at the GMO (Greater Mom Open).

She is survived by her six children and their spouses, Barbara (Doug) LaFrombois, Green Bay; Diane (Ron) VanderKelen, Hiles, WI; Tony (Pat) Simons, New Franken; Sandi (Jim) Alswager, Menasha; Dan (Laurel) Simons, Green Bay; Scott (Laurie Jean) Simons, Denmark; fourteen grandchildren, Brett LaFrombois, Madison; Kristin (Terry) Sorenson, Sheboygan; Brad (Angie) VanderKelen, Muskego, WI; Brian (Melissa) VanderKelen, Franklin, WI; Dustin Simons (Victoria Koch), Chicago; Autumn Simons, Green Bay; Kimberly Alswager (Andy Peterson), Maplewood, MN;  Tamara Alswager, St. Paul, MN; Austin Alswager, Appleton; Lesley Simons, Wausau; Erin (Lucas) Landgrebe, Minneapolis; Ben Simons, Los Angeles; Melissa Simons, Green Bay; and Emily Simons, Green Bay; 5 great-grandchildren, Anne Marie Handley, Vincent Bourassa, Blake, Parker and River VanderKelen; 2 great-grandchildren, (VanderKelen and Landgrebe) on the way; and many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Evelyn Chivers, Lawrence Van Haren, Harold Van Haren and her twin sister, Frances Andreozzi.

Please join the family on Saturday, January 9, 2021 for a Virtual Celebration of Flo’s Life at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8260685791

. Online condolences may be expressed at www.prokowall.com.

A special thank you to her best friend, Florence Ahasey, wonderful neighbors, Mike and Cheryl Harrison, and special niece, Sally Hasseler, AZ. Also a special thank you to DaVita Dialysis, Autumn’s Promise Assisted Living and Unity Hospice for the care given to our mother.

Memorials may be made in her name to Unity Hospice.