Catherine Florea

It is with great sadness that the family of Catherine Virginia Florea announces her passing after a brief illness on Thursday, May 10, 2018, at the age of 94. Catherine was born on March 4, 1924 in Long Beach, California. She grew up in Southern California and one of her early jobs was riveting bomb bay doors on military aircraft. She later joined the Army Air Corps during World War II and served in the American Theater under the 1473rd Service Command Unit detachment located at Estes Field, Louisiana. She then worked for the Department of Immigration on Terminal Island in San Pedro, California. While in California, she met her husband to be, Rolland W. Florea from Indiana.

After the birth of their first three children, Catherine and family relocated to Fairmount, Indiana where they added two more children to their family. In Indiana, she began her career in nursing and spent the next 50 plus years in a variety of medical settings including Henry County Memorial Hospital, the Henry County Health Department, Indiana State Hospital and she was Director of Nursing for Rawlins House.

Throughout her life, Catherine enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, and especially loved summers when family from all over the country would gather to spend time together. She enjoyed gardening, scrapbooking, sewing, loved to travel and work on projects with her remodeling buddy, Jerry Cash. Catherine also loved reading, especially her Bible. She and Rolland were the owners of Florea’s Honey Farm located near Greensboro, Indiana. She spent recent years traveling extensively around the United States to visit family and attended church in each location and was still involved with helping others. While staying in Virginia with her niece, Martha Gallaway and family, she attended the Floris Methodist Church. While in Kansas, she would attend the Ocheltree Baptist Church. In Greensboro, she attended the United Methodist Church or the Temple Baptist Church in New Castle. Faith was important to her and she shared it with everyone, everyday.

Catherine will be lovingly remembered by her three daughters, Deborah Florea-Sulvucci of New Castle; Kimberly (Steve) Florea-Shurley of Spring Hill, KS; Rhonda (Jerry) Frost of New Castle; daughter-in-law, Brenda Florea and her much loved nieces and nephews whom she adored and spent much of her time with. Catherine will also be remembered by her brother, Rodney Puckett of Davis, OK; her grandchildren, Malinda (Eric) Bailey, Tami (Tim) Martin, Steven (Amy) Jackson, Jennifer (Mike) Troutman, Misty (Alan) Jarvis, Maggie Harris, Tony Salvucci, Nick Salvucci, Aaron (Lacey) Grunden, Paul (Misti) Grunden, Emily Florea, John Florea and their mother, Cheryl Florea; 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild on the way; sisters-in-law, Phyllis (Bob) Wright and Betty Howard.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Florence Louise Magee Richmond, her husband, Rolland Florea, daughter, Victoria Cleary, son, Rolland “Bud” Florea II, granddaughter, Katherine “Katie” Marie Salvucci, brothers, Jesse “Bud” Puckett and Don Puckett.

Services will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 18, 2018 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle with her nephew, Tracy Wright officiating. Entombment will follow at Green Hills Memory Gardens. Visitation will be from 12 – 2 p.m. on Friday prior to the service. Memorial contributions can be made to Temple Baptist Church, 2937 Legion Drive, New Castle, IN 47362. You may express condolences or share a memory of Catherine at www.hinsey-brown.com .