Florence Johnson

On Sunday, February 8th, Florence left me to move into God’s mansions. How does one encapsulate 61 years of togetherness? Like writing an historic novel, one must realize one cannot cover every exciting and wonderful moment or detail. Florence joined the U.S. Navy, before she became of age, requiring her mother’s approval to do so. She joined her older sister already a WAVE, the first WAVES of WWII, and her brother who was in the Army. After being a secretary for 2 congressman and the FBI, where she learned to handle a Thomson Submachine Gun, she left for Florida to join her parents (fortunately leaving the Thompson behind), Marco and Maria Pignone and siblings who had preceded her. She drove, alone, to Florida in an old Plymouth that had no top. Our history started in 1965 when were both worked at Cape Canaveral for RCA, I as a Group Leader at night, she a new hire secretary to the boss. I would always stop to greet her when I came on board. With all her attributes, Florence seemed to have a propensity for not remembering to fill the gas tank. It’s was a long drive from her home in Cocoa Beach to the lab in which we worked. She would run out of gas part way out and call me to get her home. After the second time, I thought it time to take her under my wing. It’s too long of a story to tell of how things proceeded from there with meeting family, etc.. Push comes to shove, I asked her dad for her hand, and a wedding soon followed. We were married in a Presbyterian Church on Cocoa Beach. We did not stay in the area long after that. Being an employee of space contractors, my employment took us to many venues, Texas, Montana, California, (where she became a ham radio operator in Lompoc) different venues in each. On that journey, she attained a degree in education at the University of El Paso, which she used as substitute grade school teacher in a couple of the areas in which we landed. Florence was always excited about going to another location. She had had a short career, accompanying travelers to Hawaii so each opportunity to see more of our beautiful country excited her. Humor, mutual love and respect has been the cement that has kept us together for 61 years.. My work finally landed us in Fremont, CA, in the Bay area, where she joined Lockheed. A short while later, she joined me with Ford Aerospace. Would you believe, with the same boss again? We retired in 1989, but before our retirement, we had become golfers. We saw in a golf magazine about this place in Florida offering free golf. Who could pass that up? So off we went to the Villages. Being in Central Florida it would be near, but not too close, to both of our families. Mine in Lake Worth, hers the Cape Coast and Orlando. After settling in, she started doing things she had wanted to do since childhood, twirling, tap dance, ballet and music. Two wonderful twirling instructors took her under their wings. She would still practice on the carport from time to time. She became a very good china painter ion Montana, but golf, twirling, dancing, flute playing, ham radio, took precedence. She helped and finally took over a group of flute players wanting to get back to it. It is still thriving. Speaking of golf, we played over 100 courses across the country and Canada before and after retirement. I must admit, she beat me a few times. One example of our humor was that when we would meet people for the first time at out age, 90’s, and not looking it, they would invariably ask what our secret was, I would reply, “I married an Italian”, she would reply, “I married a younger man”. I would also, at times state, “She’s a cougar.” Then we would both laugh at their expression. Miss you my Cougar, my nurse Crachud, my Sam the love of my life. Visitation will take place on Wednesday February 18, 2026 from 9:30 until time of service at 10:30 am at Beyers Funeral Home in Lady Lake. Burial will follow with honors at Florida National Cemetery at 12:30 pm.

Florence Johnson

October 1, 2024 - February 8, 2026