A funeral service for Beatrice “Beaty” Florence, age 76, of Fort Worth, formerly of Enid, will be at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, April 5, 2007, at the First Assembly of God Church, with Pastors Dan Barrick and Marilyn Murray officiating.  Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, with arrangements by Anderson-Burris Funeral Home.

            She was born to Jesse Elec and Vada (Millsap) Pack on June 2, 1930, in Roswell, New Mexico, and died March 16, 2007 in Fort Worth, Texas.

            Beaty attended grammar and high school in Roswell, then studied at Southwestern Assemblies of God Bible School.  On November 26, 1950, she married Robert “Bob” Florence. With their two sons and daughter, they traveled across the nation on family singing tours. Beaty had a beautifully rich alto voice, and she and her family recorded five albums, singing southern gospel music.  Her most requested song was “I Just Came to Talk with You, Lord.”  Beaty worked with and taught her children to harmonize before they entered kindergarten.  They were ministers with the Assemblies of God in California, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.  They spent the last 16 years before their retirement in Enid, where they were pastors of  Enid First Assembly of God Church.  Beaty was lovingly referred to by the congregation as “the reverend mother”.

            She had an irrepressible sense of humor which often was expressed in playing marvelous pranks.  Her spirit of compassion and generosity often led to her giving away anything she thought might be needed by someone else.  All who knew her remember her laughter, her joy of life, her understanding and kindness, her faithfulness to God, and her love and loyalty to her family. After struggling with Alzheimer’s, she is now in the presence of the Lord.  Our sorrow is mediated by the sure knowledge that she is now experiencing the fullness of joy and life.  The choir master has undoubtedly added her voice to that heavenly chorus, singing Alleluias to her Lord.

            Beaty is preceded in death by her sons, Robert Keith Florence and Jerry Wayne Florence, and four of her siblings. 

            She is survived by her husband, Bob, of 57 years; daughter Debra Sewell and husband Andy, of Fort Worth; three grandchildren, Jeremy Meyer and wife Brooke, Brandon Florence and wife Jenny, and Ashleigh Hope and husband Adam; and two great-grandchildren, Drew Florence and Stella Hope.

            In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made through First Assembly of God Church to the Assemblies of God Children’s Home.