Florence (Duffy) Lichter
Florence (Duffy) Lichter was born Sept. 22, 1910, and passed away gently on June 5, 2006. She was born in Fort Maginnis, Mont., of strong-willed Irish heritage and she lived a life very full of life's most important gifts.
The vigil Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 9, 2006, in Coffelt's Funeral Chapel in Sandpoint, Idaho. The Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2006, in St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Interment will be in Pinecrest Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. Dennis C. Day will officiate at the services.
Her determination helped her survive a runaway team and buckboard when she was very young …. as well as overcome Montana blizzards via horseback later as a child …. and eliminate a few rattlesnakes near her schoolhouses in Montana.
She was an avid student of Montana's rich history particularly due to her family's role in that history. She always held a fond spot in her heart for the state of Montana.
In her early career in Montana she taught at Judith, Gilt Edge, Christina, Tonegetti, Wild Rose and Green Mountain.
Her parents took her by buckboard to Lewistown, Mont., for high school to attend "Normal School" (which was the name for teacher's training at the time.)
She was required to work for her room and board and to stay several months at a time without seeing her parents. When she graduated at almost 18 years old she had obtained teacher's training and began teaching in the state of Montana. Throughout the summers she continued to attend college until she obtained her degree.
When she was teaching in Moore, Mont., she was approached on her school grounds by a young farmhand named Ed Lichter who "was looking for a hammer." He had strong Christian and family values and they were married Aug. 4, 1941, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Missoula, Mont.
Florence and Ed moved to Idaho in 1944 when the war was under way after they had visited his brotherin-law at Farragut Base. They fell in love with the beauty of Idaho in the summer.
When she interviewed for her first teaching position with Bonner County School District, she was advised that she would need to, "take a tough line with discipline" and it was history from there… She taught at Grouse Creek, Selle, Farmin, Lincoln and Northside.
On her 90th birthday party she was honored by three generations of some of her students and families.
She retired from teaching in 1973 and joined the Bonner County Library Board, where she served until 1981. She was preceded in death by Ed, her loving husband, in 1981.
Florence converted to Ed's Catholic faith and these Christian beliefs were always a key element of her every day life. She was very active in her church, participating in St. Joseph's Altar Society, St. Anne's Guild, Fund Raisers, Funeral Dinners and other activities. Florence was also an avid gardener and outdoorswoman. She loved to garden, fly-fish and totally enjoyed nature and the outdoors. She also loved to cook and prepared many amazing meals for family, friends and hay crews. She was also a member of Selle Extension Club. She remained active until her late 80s and for many years was involved in local activities.
After a fall in 2002, she became a long-term resident of care at Life Care, where she had many loving caregivers until she passed away.
Florence is survived by two daughters, Loretta Johnson and Maggie Snodgrass; Loretta's husband Brian Johnson and Maggie's husband Dwight Snodgrass. Also surviving are Loretta and Brian's children, Nick and Christina, who gave their Grandma unwavering care for many years; and Maggie's children, Kari Bartels, Rene Schimpf, and Lisa Schimpf, along with Kari's husband, Kevin Bartels, and great-grandchildren Kelsi and Kollin Bartels.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.