Florence Bodine

STERLING CITY - Florence "Flo" Bodine, 98, died at the Sterling County Nursing Home on Jan. 1, 2021. She was born on July 20, 1922 in Bell County, to Dr. Edward C. and Helen Schnieder Stoeltje.

She met Homer Hooker "Pete" Bodine while a student at the University of Texas and they married in December 1945 after he returned from World War II and they moved to Colorado City where she resided until 2018.

She followed her children up through school, first as an elementary teacher and later in high school teaching reading. Her study hall students affectionately called her Pearl which the other teachers didn't get since they weren't in on the joke. The kids were using the name of Jed Clampett's cousin on Beverly Hillbillies, Pearl Bodine.

She was a lifelong member of First Methodist Church of Colorado City where she helped prepare communion for many years. She stayed sharp as a tack to the end, always enjoying a good book, crossword puzzles and was a vicious Scrabble opponent. In her spare time she enjoyed crocheting, traveling with Pete in their R.V., shopping with the three musketeers, including herself, Betsy Aycock, and Sissy Merritt, and bird watching which was made easy because she always kept the bird feeders full and binoculars within arm's reach.

She was also active in her community having served on the Mitchell County Hospital Board for 11 years, beginning at age 81.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Pete, her brother, Dr. Joe Stoeltje, and her sister, Velma Sedberry.

She is survived by a son Michael C. Bodine and wife Jaynell of Sterling City; daughter Lynda K. Stokes and husband Bill of Belton; grandchildren Melinda Gaines and husband Josh of Sterling City, Amanda Louder and husband Jeremy of Stanton, Brian Stokes of Temple, and Kelly Garcia and husband Andrew of Temple. Also surviving are her greatgrandchildren, Brooklyn Gaines, Brynlee Gaines, Aiden Louder, Braxton Louder, Gabriel Garcia and Maren Garcia as well as a special nephew Jimmy Sedberry of Temple.

A celebration of life will be postponed and held at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to Kiker Seale Funeral Home.