Florence Mae Bowen

Big Lake resident Florence Mae Bowen, 80, died Aug. 23, 2013 at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center of renal failure and congestive heart failure.

A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Aug. 30 at Fort Richardson National Cemetery. A visitation is from 10 a.m. to noon at Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel prior to the graveside service.

Florence was born Jan. 3, 1933, in Seattle, Wash.

She attended Emmanuel Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, Ore., receiving her registered nurse’s degree.

She received her bachelor’s from University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Master of Clinical Psychology from University of Alaska Anchorage. Florence worked as an RN for Dr. Wickman during the 1964 earthquake in Anchorage and treated many people. She worked as an RN/clinical psychologist and traveled around the state (Kotzebue, Bethel, Sand Point) 1980-1992 working with Department of Family and Youth Services. She purchased Blue Goose Ambulance from the military and helped start the ambulance service in the Mat-Su Valley.

Florence lived in Wrangell, Ketchikan, Valdez, Anchorage and Big Lake. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and Methodist Church. She enjoyed playing piano, singing, playing pinochle and being a Mid-Valley Senior Center Board of Directors member.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Fred Flodquist.

She is survived by her husband, Eldon “Bud” Bowen of Big Lake; sisters, June Haas of Haines and Anne Lizotte of Tacoma, Wash.; brother, Carl Flodquist; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Patty Hawk of Wasilla; daughter and son-in-law, Katherine and Syed Shariq of Menlo Park, Calif.; daughter, Rebecca Hawk of Belmont, Mass; son and daughter-in-law, Hambie and Cathy Weber of Forest Grove, Ore.; six granddaughters; one grandson; and many nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are with Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Wasilla.