Florence Rita Klug passed away January 17, 2022, at DeGreef Hospice House in St. Louis, MO at age 91 following a stroke. She was born September 9, 1930, in St. Louis to John Baptist and Eleska Engert Klug, the youngest of six children. Florence lived to mourn the passing of each of her siblings and was the last of her remarkable generation.
Florence attended Southwest High School where she was a talented vocalist and actress. She aspired to a professional career and honed her talents with lead parts in high school musicals and private vocal lessons. In 1948 she was selected to Mu Phi Epsilon musical honor society which recognized one musician from each St. Louis high school. She performed in principal roles with the Midwest Opera Association and was a soloist for numerous weddings and funerals.
An outstanding student, she graduated from Southwest High School near the top of her class, but family economics prevented her from pursuing university studies. After a short period of training at St. Louis Business College she entered the working world. Her earliest positions were at Kraft Foods and Mississippi Valley Equipment Company. For several years she was a court stenographer and later worked under three St. Louis police commissioners including Sam Priest.
Florence was executive assistant to Stanley Goodman, CEO of the May Company, parent company of the flagship St. Louis retailer Famous-Barr. After his retirement from the May Company, she helped him as he established Top Services Consulting. In her combined 19 years working for Mr. Goodman, Florence managed and later directed his investments, handled his taxes, and administered his corporate and private affairs.
Florence retired at age 55 to begin her own venture, FRK Personal Services. She advised a number of clients, managing large investment portfolios and assisting with planning, taxes, and other financial needs. She continued to serve clients well into her eighties.
Family was her greatest treasure. She helped nurse her sister Therese and her mother and father in their times of illness and cared for each of them through their final years. Florence and her sister Therese lived together for over 80 years and shared a deep and loving bond throughout their lifetimes until Therese passed just one year ago. Over 50 years ago, she purchased a home to share with her father and sister and hosted numerous family gatherings and celebrations, maintaining close ties with her siblings as well as her nieces and nephews.
Florence traveled extensively throughout the US and Canada and made eight trips to Europe, often with her sister Therese. Throughout her life she demonstrated a love for learning and returned to college in her late thirties where she delighted in studying literature, history, and politics.
She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant brother, Patrick, her brother John Robert (Bob) Klug, and her sisters Catherine Feller, Laurel Ferraro, and Therese Klug. Florence is survived by six nieces and nephews: John Klug (Bernice) of Denver, CO, Harry Klug (Joy) of Hudson, OH, Theresa Holtzclaw (Fred) of Clinton, TN, Carolyn Gengelbach Marshall (John) of Columbia, MO, Margaret Scheperle (Darrel) of Ozark, MO, and Thomas M. Ferraro of Danville, IL.
Special thanks to her caregivers and helpers Kathleen Adair, Kelly Kernebeck, Jan Cattaneo, Joan Wittmaier and Dr. Jon Henke.
Services are under the direction of Kutis Funeral Home of St. Louis, MO. The funeral Mass will be at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 4092 Blow St. and interment is at Sunset Memorial Park immediately following the service.
Memorials may be designated for Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, or the Salvation Army.
Florence is my mother’s first cousin. I never met her but so very fortunately had the opportunity to talk with her once last year. She was amazing, still very interesting and spoke of memories of my mother and grandmother. She was clearly an incredible woman, especially for her generation. I will always wish I had had the chance to meet her, but I am so proud to say I am related her.
My father passed away March 2021 … Graduated from Southwest High probably one year after Florence. He was a great piano player even then and I am almost sure they knew each other! I will now have fun digging through the Southwest yearbooks to see if they knew one another!