Florence Hunt

Florence Hunt of Kingwood, Texas passed away at the age of 102 on May 13, 2020 in Newton, Iowa. 

Florence was born on March 24, 1918 in Mason City, Iowa, the daughter of Rasmus and Anna (Flo) Nesje.  Florence married Ralph Bailey on February 24, 1941.  Ralph was inducted into the U.S. Army on April 29, 1941 during World War II.  He was killed in action in Italy on February 2, 1944.  On October 28, 1949, Florence married Lloyd Hunt at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.  Together they had three daughters and shared a loving marriage and family until Lloyd passed away in 1973.  

Florence held a remarkable number of diverse employment positions during her lifetime.  She earned an Associate Degree from Mason City Junior College in 1938, and attained her Teachers Certificate after completing additional coursework at Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  She taught in one-room school houses in the Mason City area.  During World War II, she worked in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska for the Civil Aeronautics Administration as an aircraft communicator, monitoring and reporting weather conditions to aircraft pilots.  Later, she was employed by the Cerro Gordo County Superintendent of Schools in an administrative position, and at times served as a substitute librarian in the Mason City School District.  She was also employed for twenty years by Mercy Hospital in Mason City where she served in various positions that led to her selection as private secretary to the executive director of the hospital.

Florence was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, and grandmother.  She also provided loving care for many relatives in their senior years, including her mother, mother-in-law, and several aunts.  She loved poetry and often recited her favorite poems to her grandchildren.  She was a lifelong learner and loved to travel.  Her trips took her all over the world including Egypt, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Italy, France, Norway, and England.  Hawaii was one of her favorite destinations, and she made numerous trips there during the winter months.  She especially enjoyed all the trips she took with her daughters.  She also had a passion for investing and pursued that interest throughout her life

Florence spent most of her life in Mason City, Iowa.  She moved to Des Moines, Iowa in 1979 and finally to Kingwood, Texas in 2008.

She was an active member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Mason City and later St. John’s Lutheran Church in Des Moines. 

Florence is survived by: her sister Margaret Dodge of Mason City, Iowa; her three daughters, JoAnn Rumelhart of Amelia Island, Florida, Susanne (Wesley) Ranard of Newton, Iowa, and Diane (Sam) Greeves of Kingwood, Texas; five grandchildren and one great grandchild, Amanda Ranard, her husband Aaron and their daughter Olivia, Katherine Ranard, Tyler Greeves, Matthew Greeves and his wife Catherine, and Elizabeth Greeves; and many nieces and nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her three brothers, and three of her four sisters.

A private family service will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Mothers Against Cancer (Kingwood, Texas). 

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