Florence B. Songer

Mason City Florence Bernice Haukedahl Songer, age 97, of Mason City, died peacefully on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, with Pastor Tom Healey Chaplain Hospice of North Iowa, officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday at Major Erickson Funeral Home. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa (232 2nd St. S.E. Mason City, IA 50401) or Butterfield Youth Service (P.O. Box 333, 1180 Hwy WW, Marshall, MO 65340). Flowers are appreciated.
Florence was born November 26, 1911 in Mason City, the daughter of Sever and Belle (Kelson) Haukedahl. She married James P. Songer in June of 1935 in Eureka, IL. In 1945 they moved to Mason City from Zeigler, IL. Florence lived a full life of raising her six children and a thirty five year career at North Western Bell Telephone Company. She also managed Songer Grocery. Florence loved music, reading, old movies and visiting with her family and friends. Florence enjoyed quilting and various sewing projects. She anonymously to her family assisted in making quilts to be used to raise funds for Butterfield Youth Services for about 20 years. She became a world traveler at age 66 to age 93. Florence lived independently in her home, where she was born, until she was 97, 4 days before she died.
She is survived by six daughters and their families: Margaret Mercier (Thomas), Caron Posey (Terry), Collette Madison (Dean), Kathleen Hanna, Priscilla Ray (Norman) and Martha McDermott (James); 13 grandchildren: Melissa, Jason, Allison; Jennifer, Eric, Fritz, Ethan, Nathan, Abigail, Jesse; Melinda and Molly; and Phillip; 23 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Belle and Sever Haukedahl; her husband of 44 years: James P. Songer, her siblings: Myrtle, Arthur, and Manuel.