Conway Funeral Homes

The Funeral Mass for Florence Blong, of Rochester, MN, will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco. A social celebration of her life will be from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday at Conway Funeral Home in Cresco, Iowa. Mrs. Blong, 94, died in her home.

Florence Wilhelm, the oldest of nine, was born October 1, 1913, near Waucoma, Iowa. Though an extremely hard worker, she was always known for her self reliant love of life. Florence married the man of her dreams, Philip J. Blong, in 1933. With their first son Eugene, they moved to their dream farm NW of Cresco in 1941. They had two more sons, Dennis (infant death) and Donald.

   Widowed in 1953, she continued to manage the farm with her sons, then 16 and 7. Florence also worked in nursing homes and then the Cresco Hospital while taking her nursing studies.

   Moving to Rochester in 1967, she began one-on-one private care, most often working through the Kahler for Mayo Clinic Patients from around the world. She had continued to participate in Mayo Research Studies, especially involving bone and diet studies. Florence insisted on her independence, even shoveling her own snow.

   Mrs. Blong was preceded in death by husband Philip J., sons Dennis and Eugene, sisters Dorothy Wilhelm, Betty Troxel, and Adeline Sobolik and one brother Art Wilhelm.

   Florence is survived by one son Don (Martha) Blong of Panama City, Florida; daughter-in-law, Rosemary Blong of Cresco; seven grandchildren: Mark Blong of Esther, Alaska, Renee (Greg) Romig of Sioux City, IA, Raymond Blong of Cresco, IA, Regina Blong of Preston, MN, Rinetta (Ron) Fravel of Cresco, IA, Philip L. Blong of Minot, ND, and Nathan Blong of Atlanta, GA; three great grandchildren; Anastasa Blong, Blake Blong, and Randy Fravel; 3 sisters: Alma Baum, Mary Bentley, and Virginia Homewood, all of the Cedar Rapids, IA area; and one brother Charles Wilhelm of Decorah, IA.