Florence Belle (PARKER) VANDIVORT

PARKER, VANDIVORT, OLIVER, FRY, BALLARD, HANNA, BULLOCK

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/4/2009 at 09:17:00

The Houston Herald
Houston, Missouri
October 12, 2003

OBITUARY - FLORENCE BELLE (PARKER) VANDIVORT

Florence Belle (PARKER) VANDIVORT, 98, daughter of James L. PARKER and Della (OLIVER) PARKER, was born October 9, 1903, near Redding, Iowa. She died October 9, 2001, at Autumn Oaks Caring Center in Mountain Grove.

The PARKER family moved to Houston in 1912, when she was 9 years old. The family settled in the Rocky Branch community near Houston, where she grew up. She attended Rocky Branch School.

She married Homer Harrison VANDIVORT December 4, 1922, at the home of her parents. The VANDIVORTS started their married life at Hannibal [MO], where he worked for the CDQ Railroad. In 1924 they returned to the home of Homer's parents to assist his father on the farm while he was recuperating from a broken leg. They later moved to a farm in the Union community, where they raised their family.

During World War II, Mrs. VANDIVORT kept the home fires burning, caring for five children and farming, while Homer worked in a defense plant near Chicago, Ill.

Mrs. VANDIVORT was a member of the Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church, where she was active, serving as church pianist as long as her health permitted. She enjoyed gardening and working in her flowers, playing the organ and caring for her children.

She was preceded in death March 15, 1985, by her husband of 62 years; her parents, three brothers and three sisters.

Surviving are five children, Dora FRY of Mountain Grove, Edith BALLARD of Lebanon, Norman VANDIVORT of Raymondville, Estella HANNA of Cabool and Bill VANDIVORT of Houston; two sisters, Frances BULLOCK of Creston, Iowa, and Mary FOX of Fort Collins, Colo.; two brothers, Frank PARKER of Shannon City, Iowa, and Oliver PARKER of Kellerton, Iowa; 17 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

Services were October 12 at the Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Mark VANDIVORT officiating. Burial was in the Union Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2009