Florence was born on 5 February 1919 to Henry Louie Bergeron and Annetta (Anita) Theroux, she was the second of four children and their only daughter. Her mother, Anita was a twin with Henrietta (Rita) and eight other children. Her life was filled with many cousins in her growing up years, however, later on they were on the east coast and she was off to school. Uncle Armand nicknamed her "Little Miss Muffet" and it stuck, over the years she was know as "Muff."
She spent her childhood on a farm in New England and graduated from High Schoool. She married in South Attleboro, Massachusetts, on 11 June 1942 to Norman Melvin Lee, a was a pilot serving in World War II. Unfortunately, he was killed on 25 August 1943 during this war. They had been married just after barely a year, it was a difficult time for her.
She graduated from Clincal Laboratory Technique from Northwest Institute of Medical Technology in Minneapolis, MN with diplomas in clinical laboratory, X-ray and electrocardiograph techniques in 1945. She worked as a lab attendant in Boston, Mass. Despite the hardships she faced early on, Muff remained determined to carve out a meaningful life for herself. Her dedication to clinical laboratory work reflected her sharp intellect and perseverance, helping her contribute to medical advancements during a transformative era in healthcare.
She married Leo Alfred Riley on 19 April 1947 in South Attleboro, Mass. Coming from the east coast and having a love for the water, settling in Redondo Beach, California, in 1955, offered a fresh start. where she was a stay at home mother with the responsibilities and the joys and challenges of raising five children. Her home became a hub of warmth and activity, filled with laughter, lessons, and the occasional chaos of a bustling household.
She returned to the workforce in 1971 as a nurse's aide at Los Angeles County's Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center in Downey, Calif. She retired from the county in 1981, and moved to Prescott in 1987 with her husband. Florence, known as "Muff" to her siblings as stated above, and "Mil" to her close family members, enjoyed people. She was devoted to her family and kept in close contact with her relatives, near and far. She was undaunted by the computer world, which she viewed as another opportunity to keep in touch with her relatives. Whether old acquaintances or new, she invariably impressed all she met with her vivid recollection of a lifetime of memories.
This author had the pleasure of spending a few days with her and her husband and the sheer delight of meeting another "cousin" was amazing as she shared stories from the past and all of our relations. She would have been my mother's first cousin making this author a first cousin once removed. Her husband passed away in 2005 and she passed away 11 February 2010. She surely will be missed by her family and friend all over.
Florence Desneiges Bergeron Lee Riley "Muff" - 1910-2010
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