Florence Marie Anderson was born on November 14, 1920 in Elizabeth, NJ. She was the second child and oldest daughter of Anna Louise Paloske and Clarence Anderson.
Florence was very petite, 4’11”. She had a beautiful smile. Aunt Florence, “Flo” enjoyed hooking rugs and country dancing. She married Churchill “Buddy” Thompson who was also from Elizabeth. He was the son of Edith Leach Thompson, who married Andrew “Andy” Andersen. Andy Andersen was a cousin of Florence’s father, Clarence Anderson.
I have warm, but very hazy memories of Aunt Florence, since I was eight when she died on October 10, 1960 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Mom thought it had to do with an accident Aunt Florence had as a child. She was hit by a car, and although she escaped with only a few cuts and scrapes, she did hit her head on the pavement. It’s possible that the stroke was a vestige of the accident but strokes run in the family. Florence’s aunt Mary Ann “May” Pavlosk, also died of a stroke when she was young.
After Mom passed away in 2011, I found an old wooden hanger in her closet. “Florence Anderson” was written in large letters with a pencil. I don’t know the story behind it or how Mom came to have it—perhaps Uncle Buddy gave it to Mom after Florence died–but it must have reminded her of when they were girls. I kept it as a connection to Aunt Florence, a good-hearted sister and aunt who died way too young.
Florence Anderson Thompson is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, NJ. When my parents remains were returned to NJ, Mom was buried next to her sister.
