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Rev. Robert (Bob)
Florence passed away
very peacefully on May
27th 2010 in
Fort Worth, Texas. Bob
was born to Ista Grace
and Luther
S. Florence in Mc Alester,
Oklahoma on September 19th
1931. One of 11
children, “Bob” attended
grammar and high school
in Modesto, California
and managed stores for
Safeway in Northern
California. At the age
of 25 he felt God
calling him into full
time ministry. Following
his licensing and
ordination, Bob served
with his wife of 57
years, Beaty, pastoring
churches in California,
New Mexico, and Texas,
with his final pastorate
of eighteen years in
Enid, Oklahoma. With
their two sons and
daughter, they traveled
on concert tours,
ministering across the
nation, recording five albums.
After struggling with
Multiple Myeloma since
1998, as well as
Alzheimer’s, Bob is now
in the presence of God.
Our sorrow is mediated
by the sure knowledge
that Bob touched the
lives of countless
people here in the
United States as well as
in the Marshall Islands,
where he also spent time
ministering. In
addition, Bob authored a
book called: From
Tragedy to Triumph
describing his life as
an Assembly of God
pastor, who lost both of
his sons to AIDS.
Bob is preceded in death
by those sons, Robert
Keith Florence and Jerry
Wayne Florence, his wife
Beaty, and by
all but two of his
siblings.
He is survived by his
two brothers, Richard
(Nancy)Florence, Haslett, Texas
and Jim (Inez) Florence, Cour de Lane, Idaho,
(his daughter, Debra
Sewell and son-in-law,
Dr. D. Andrew Sewell, of
Fort Worth, Texas;
grandchildren Rev.
Jeremy Meyer (Brooke) of
Frisco, Texas, Dr.
Brandon Florence,
(Jenny) of Cedar Hill
and Ashleigh Hope (Adam)
of Provo, Utah, Lisabeth
Sewell McCann (David) of
Burlington, Vermont and
Dr. Andrew Sewell
(Emily) of Boulder,
Colorado. He is survived
by eight
great-grandchildren:
Drew and Hudson
Florence, Eva and
Stella Hope, Kaylee
Meyer, Eleanor Sewell,
Angus and Finn Sewell
McCann. He is also
survived by his adopted
spiritual son, Bishop
Robert Dwayne Stone of
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
We would like to extend
our deepest appreciation
to his caregiver and
“adopted daughter” of
more than two years,
Paula Darden, who has
become a cherished
friend to all of us. In
addition, our most
sincere thanks to both
the marvelous staffs of
Sunrise Assisted Living
and Vitas for their
compassion and bedside
care during Bob’s final
days.
A memorial service will
be held at Arborlawn
United Methodist Church,
Fort Worth Texas,
Wednesday, June 2nd
2010 at 3:00.
There will also be a
graveside
service in Enid
Oklahoma, at Memorial
Park Cemetery on
Saturday June 5, 2010 at
10:00 A.M., where he
served as senior pastor
at Enid First Assembly
for 13 years.
In lieu of flowers, the
family desires
that memorials or
contributions be made in
Bob’s memory to:
Destiny Reformation
Ministry, earmarked:
Tanzania/Africa
10632 South Memorial
#118, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
74133
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