Florence I. Zehr, 93, of Waverly, Iowa, died March 30, 2024, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home. She was born Feb. 17, 1931, to Ira and Esther Eigsti in Princeton, Ill.

She graduated from Hesston Academy in 1949 and attended one year at Hesston College in Kansas, where she met Marvin Zehr. They were married on Feb. 17, 1951, and Manson, Iowa, was their home for 61 years before moving to Waverly. She enjoyed being on the farm and tending her large garden. She developed a passion for sewing and made many outfits for the Manson school and community singing groups. She also made many wedding and bridesmaid gowns. She was passionate about making school bags and tying comforters for Mennonite Central Committee and was working on these projects until a week before her death.

Florence was a member of Manson Mennonite Church. She and Marvin were part of the church plant in Fort Dodge for seven years. She was active in the church, teaching Sunday and Bible School, serving as an elder and being involved in the sewing circle. For the last four years she enjoyed attending the service at Willow Springs Mennonite in Tiskilwa, Ill., via Zoom. Willow Springs was the church she attended when she was a child.

She is survived by her children, Barbara (Sanford) Yoder, Julia (Alan) Cowan, John (Jane) Zehr, Calvin (Carol) Zehr and Stanley (Jennifer) Zehr; 14 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin; and infant daughter Elaine.

Memorials can be directed to Mennonite Mission Network