Willer, Florence Elizabeth Craddock

Florence Elizabeth Craddock Willer, 86, of Vinton, formerly of Keystone, died Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab following a short illness. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Phillips Family Center, 605 Second Ave., Vinton, with the Rev. Bill Quibell officiating. Interment will be held at the Dysart Cemetery. Friends may call at the Family Center from 3 to 5 p.m. today.

A memorial fund has been established.

Florence was born July 3, 1923, in Garrison, to William and Tressa (Parker) Craddock. She married Lorraine Willer in Peoria, Ill. The couple resided in Dysart until moving to the family farm near Keystone. Florence and Lorraine raised Pioneer seed corn for 35 of their 50 years on the farm. Following Lorraine's death in 1982, Florence continued farming on her own for 15 years, moving to Vinton after leaving the farm.

She enjoyed gardening, flowers and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Ann (Larry) Thoren of Vinton; three grandchildren, Brenda Little of Littleton, Colo., Kendall (Paula) Koehn of Pine City, Minn., and Kellie Jo Thoren of Waterloo; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers, Charles “Ed” Craddock of Vinton and Harland “Wayne” (Joan) Craddock of Novinger, Mo.; and her sister, Mary “Lori” Rommann of Vinton.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Irene Hopper; and four brothers, George, Robert and Dean Craddock and Donald Craddock in infancy.

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