Flora E. Jones

Flora E. Jones, 94, Mason City, Iowa, passed away Sunday morning, July 31, 2011 under Hospice Care at the Heritage Care Center, 501 South Kentucky, Mason City, Iowa. Family will greet visitors on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 beginning at 1:00 pm at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania, Mason City, followed by a Trisagion Service at 2:00 pm with the Rev. Joseph Mirowski of the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church officiating. Private family committal services will take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials and condolences may be directed to the family in care of Debra Klein, 118 South Rhode Island, Mason City, Iowa.
Flora Emily Lundberg was born on April 13, 1917 in Marmon, North Dakota. Her parents were Viola Williams Lundberg and Albert Lundberg, Sr., of St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Floras earliest and favorite memories are of spending her summers with her grandparents Flora and George Jacobs on the old Beck farm in Cumberland, Wisconsin beginning when she was about 2. After graduating from high school, she worked in the auditing department at Daytons.
Flora and Byron met in 1936 at the Cobble Crest country estate by Minnetonka Boulevard, where there was a dance floor by the lake and bands were brought in to provide music for dancing and entertainment. Byron played the bass fiddle in one of the bands. Flora and Byron married September 19, 1939 at a Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, and they honeymooned with the band on the road!
Flora traveled with Byron and the Bobby Griggs Orchestra and various bands throughout his career as a musician in Minnesota, Iowa and the upper Midwest. After settling in Mason City in the fall of 1939, Flora and Byron started their family while Byron began his career with the Mason City Post Office and continued touring with Bobby Griggs Orchestra during the 1940s before and after his service in WWII. After his time with Bobby Griggs, Flora and Byron enjoyed their times together on the week-ends while he played at various clubs in Mason City with the Hob Mason Trio, Vern Leonard and Bill Mahone including the Red Llama and Costas until his death in 1963.
After Byrons passing in 1963, Flora had to re-learn a whole new way of independent living and self reliance. She still had two young children at home and needed to support them. During her marriage to Byron, she worked as a full-time mother and homemaker while raising her four children and was quite the seamstress, making suits and many outfits for them. She was surrounded by a multitude of friends and neighbors to help her through this time of grief and facing life without Byron. Charles Patridge taught Flora how to drive a car and Attorney Charles (Chuck) McManigal helped Flora re-enter the workforce to support her family. Flora and her family were always proud of the fact that she was Chucks first client when he joined the Laird Burington Bovard Law Firm.
Flora worked for the American Heart Association, Charlie Brown Day Care and Art Rodriguez Real Estate. After retirement, she was a live-in daycare provider for the families of Jerome and Brenda Barr, David and Jan Roberts, Dan and Jane Sherwin and for Grandma Rozen (Elizabeth). She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for over 50 years and a member of the Womens Auxiliary of the North Iowa Mercy Health Center she had over 7,000 hours as a volunteer for the Mercy West Campus Gift Shop.
In the summer of 1993, Flora had to once again find her strength and stamina when her daughter Dana was diagnosed with breast cancer. Flora faced the challenge and struggled through the journey with Dana and was a strong support for the family; she would take care of Dana at home until her passing in the fall of 1996. Flora always sacrificed for family and friends and was a woman who defined the words of giving and being non-judgmental.
Flora is survived by three children, Dara L. Miller (Gary), Des Moines, Iowa, Jay M. Jones (Connie), University Place, Washington and Debra L. Klein (James) Mason City, Iowa, five grandchildren, Dean Miller, Gina Miller, Taylor Jones, Logan Jones, and Dimitria Klein and one great-granddaughter, Samantha Miller.
Flora was preceded in death by her husband Byron, daughter Dana, and her brother Albert Lundberg, Jr.

Memorials:
In lieu of flowers, memorials and condolences may be directed to the family in care of Debra Klein, 118 South Rhode Island, Mason City, Iowa.

Cemetery:
Private family committal services will take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Service:
Family will greet visitors on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 beginning at 1:00 pm at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania, Mason City, followed by a Trisagion Service at 2:00 pm with the Rev. Joseph Mirowski of the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church officiating.