NEW PALESTINE
Florence Claudene Cecil
September 29, 1938-May 24, 2023
Florence Claudene Cecil, (Flo), age 84 of New Palestine, Indiana departed this life on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at Grand Brook Memory Care facility in Greenwood, Indiana.
Born on September 29, 1938 in Oneida Tennessee she was the daughter of Wheaton and Pearl (Terry) Slaven.
Florence grew up in Oneida Tennessee and came to Indiana in 1964 looking for employment opportunity. She immediately was hired at Western Electric in Indianapolis, Indiana. She and Gordon Cecil were married on April 16, 1965 in Madison, Indiana. She worked at Western Electric until the birth of her daughter at which time she became a homemaker. Together they built their home in New Palestine and raised three children. After the graduation of her youngest son, she worked at Little Bear Day Care. She took great pride in becoming a nanny to siblings Sarah and Aaron and brothers Nash and Zed. She also babysat the grandchildren and taught all of them about nature and the great outdoors. She loved gardening. She raised an abundance of vegetables and gave much of it away to anyone who needed it. She was an awesome cook and baker. She also froze and canned an extremely large amount of what she grew.
Florence was a member of Black Oak Baptist Church in Oneida, TN and then later in life she joined Pleasant View Baptist Church in Fairland, IN. There she found wonderful friends that created a support system for her that lasted through the end of her life. She loved the Pleasant View Sunday school class taught by Betty Hendricks and the ladies of this class became like family to her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon Eugene Cecil; her parents, Wheaton and Pearl (Terry) Slaven; her sisters Leda Imogene Slaven and Brenda Brenneman; her brother Bruce Slaven; her maternal grandparents Daniel and Minnie (Terry) Anderson; her paternal grandparents Robinson Crusoe and Ora Ellen (Wheaton) Slaven; and her brother-in-law Bobby Sandiford.
Florence is survived by her daughter Rebecca A. (Monte) McDaniel; sons Michael L. Cecil and Stephen E. Cecil along with grandchildren Halee (Mitchell) Mathies, Amanda McDaniel and Luke McDaniel; and one great-grandchild Maverick Mathies. She Is survived by one sister Pat Sandiford and her Aunt Irene Davidson, brother-in-laws Donnie Bowlin and Jeffrey Brenneman, as well as many special nieces and nephews. She is also survived by special neighbors Vanessa Roberts and Ray Liston, and special friends Kim Cocke and Barbara McDaniel.
Florence will be laid to rest on May 30, 2023 next to her husband Gordon in New Palestine Cemetery. Private services were held at Bell Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers the family requests friends and colleagues to consider a donation to Dance Every Journey. Florence was involved in this program at Demaree Crossing Assisted Living and she loved taking her Senior Ballet Class from professional instructor Roberta Wong. She was also interviewed by WRTV Channel 6 News and her interview can also be found at the link below toward the bottom of the page.
https://danceeveryjourney.networkforgood.com/projects/195273-florence-cecil-s-memorial-page
Online condolences at www.bellmortuary.com
