HAMPDEN and MANCHESTER, Pa. – Florence Elizabeth (Gray) Cunningham-Batchelder, who passed away Nov. 8, 2011, was born Jan. 14, 1926, in Sedgwick, daughter of the late Freeman L. Gray and Ruby Zelina Robbins.
Florence graduated from Clark High School, Penobscot, in June 1943. She attended St. Joseph’s Nursing School, Bangor, after raising her two daughters and graduated in 1969. She worked at St. Joseph Hospital from 1969 until 1985 when she retired from nursing. Florence married Ralph Harlen Cunningham, son of Harland Delmont Cunningham and Ida Ursula Soper of Blue Hill, Sept. 19, 1943, in South Penobscot. He passed away Sept. 28, 1974. During their marriage they lived in Lewiston, Brewer and Hampden. While in Hampden she and Ralph raised broiler chickens until she attended nursing school. Both of them enjoyed square dancing and camping. Florence was a Winterport Grange member and belonged to Frankfort Congregational Church, where both she and Al sang in the church choir. She enjoyed walking, a good game of cards, loved life and people, along with baking pies for the church suppers and working in her flower garden. On Dec. 24, 1976, Florence married Freeman “Al” Batchelder in Winterport. After her retirement from St. Joseph Hospital in 1985 Flo, Al and Ruby Lopeman, her mother, traveled the United States for six years in a travel trailer, visiting every state with the exception of North Dakota and flew to the state of Hawaii to visit her niece, Yvonne Gross and her husband, Richard. From 1991 until 2007 when Al Batchelder passed away, they would winter in Zephyrhills, Fla., and summer at her home located in Hampden. From January 2007 until her death, she lived with her daughter, Jacqueline Reese in Manchester, Pa.
Florence is survived by her two daughters, Victoria (Cunningham) Sylva and husband, Richard Sylva, grandchildren, Melinda Sylva and Michael Sylva and his wife, Grace, great-grandchildren, Cassandra Sylva, Nicholas Sylva and Riley Taylor Sylva, all of San Diego; and Jacqueline (Cunningham) Reese of Manchester, Pa., grandchildren, Kristian Reese Sr. and girlfriend, Nikki Savidge, of Red Lion, Pa., Greggory Reese of Virginia, adopted sons, John Reese Jr. and his wife, Jen, of Maryland and Alan Reese and his wife, Lori, of Manchester, Pa., great-grandchildren, Zelena Reese, Kristian Reese Jr., Brianna Reese, Josiah Reese and Angel Savidge of Red Lion, Pa., Chase Reese, Alexander Reese of Virginia, Krystal Reese and Alanna Reese of Manchester, Pa., and a great-great-granddaughter due in November.
A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Frankfort Congregational Church, Main Street, Frankfort.
Interment will be immediately after the funeral at Forest Home Cemetery, Sargentville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Florence’s name may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, 383 U.S. Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074. Arrangements entrusted to Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden. Messages of condolence and memories may be shared through
www.hampdengilpatrick.com.