Florence E. Hoy

AUBURN — Florence E. Hoy, 86, of Lewiston died Monday, Sept. 10, at the Auburn Hospice House. She was born April 13, 1932, to Ernest and Iola (Priest) Brown. She never completed high school, but she endeared herself to her co-workers as a waitress, house cleaner, shoemaker and textile worker, but mostly she was a homemaker for her family whom she loved and for whom she cared.

She was married to Charles Hoy, with whom she celebrated 66 years of marriage. They were blessed in their life together with two sons, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Florence was a blessing to all the lives she touched. She is fondly remembered by her friends and neighbors, her pastor and her dear friends at Grace Lutheran Church in Auburn. She was generous with her time and service to others, and warm and friendly to all whom she encountered. She was deeply devoted to her church family. She enjoyed the women’s group, knitting mittens for children and sponsoring unwed mothers. She especially enjoyed the children at Grace.

In her last month of lfe, she was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. The family is forever grateful to the kind and caring service she received from the staff, nurses and physicians at St. Mary’s Hospital and the Auburn Hospice House. In her last week of life in hospice, she commented on how grateful she was. “It’s so beautiful here … so beautiful,” she said.

On her last day of life, her family and friends were at her bedside, and later that evening she breathed her last and made the final crossing of her baptism from death into life to rest in the loving arms of her Lord and Good Shepherd Jesus the Christ.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Marion and Nancy; and her brothers Alfred and Bernard.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Charles; her sons Michael (and Karen) and Thomas (and Tammy); her grandchildren Martin, Philip, Katie, Gabriel and Alissa; her great-grandchild, Coraline; her sisters Mildred and Ruth; her brother, Dana; and her niece, Connie (and Paul).

A memorial service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, followed by refreshments. The committal will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 17, at Gracelawn Cemetery. Florence’s wishes were that instead of flowers, donations be made for the poor and ill and memorials be sent to Grace Lutheran Church, 757 Summer St., Auburn, ME 04210.