Florence Smude Obituary Our beloved Mothers, affectionately known to all as "Flo", early years were hard, losing her parents at a very early age. Her Mom Stella (Yanta) Swaser died very young and the only memory she had was seeing her in a casket in their living room. Moms Dad Xavier Swaser did the best he could but followed Stella in death not long after. Her siblings Al Swaser, Marian Swaser and Agnes (Swaser) Rumpel also died at a very young age. Our Mom was raised by her older brother Al until the state found out - then was bounced around from house to house with her aunts and uncles doing various chores for them all around the house and farm. One story she used to like to tell with much sadness was when she lived with one of her aunts she had long, thick blonde hair and her Aunt 'chopped' it all off. She would tell that story when she would be fixing the hair of one of her many daughters or granddaughters. After a church service in Harding, Agnes Smude (Dads mom) brought her home to have dinner with the Smude family - the rest is history. Mom and Dad didn't always have a smooth relationship - but love won out. Mom and Dad both loved to dance together and instilled that love of dance in all of their children. 'Waltz across Texas' was one of their favorites. Many Sunday afternoons were spent polkaing around the small house in Pine Center to Chmielewski Funtime on the big console tv after having a meal of spaghetti and meatballs as a family after church. She loved to sing church songs, and her favorites "Crystal Chandeliers" and "Blue Eyes Cryin in the Rain". "God Bless America" was a must at every 4th of July and Thanksgiving celebration. They both lived on that farm purchased from Vince Smude (Dads Dad) just a few miles down the road. Dad built the house and mom would tell stories about living in the house that had a tin can under the sink and having to use the outhouse. Mom remained on the farm for a while even after Dad was in the nursing home with Parkinsons. The tough lady lived there - took care of firing up the stove 3+ times a day every day of the year until she moved to Arbor Glen and lived her 'town' life she had talked about so many times. Flo left behind so many amazing memories with so many people from every part of her life. Her family being the absolute most important thing to her. We believe her happiest times were when we would all be together laughing and playing 'oh S%%t', spades or ship-captain-crew around the kitchen table, with maybe a game of poker thrown in - but never using our own money... the penny jar would always get taken out for those nights. Christmas Eve midnight mass at Holy Family Church was one of her favorite traditions when living on the farm - but only after stopping at the Chicken Shack for Tom and Jerrys first. Our dear mother lived a hard life of a farm wife raising kids and canning jars upon jars of canned pickles and sauerkraut from her garden while still working on the farm. In later years as a cook - but not until the last of her kids started school. She was always there when any of her kids needed her. She was the rock that held her family together and is going to be missed unbelievably. We all know she is in a better pain free place now - finally getting to be with her mother, father and the daughter she lost. My guess is teaching people up there to play Arkansas Rummy all the while still watching over us and worrying about us going in the ditch on the drive home. Flo always wondered why she got to live so long when the rest of her family sadly passed away so young. Maybe it was because she had so much love to give that it took almost a hundred years for her to share it. Rest now momma, your work here is done. Que Sera Sera. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 11, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Nelson-Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd. A visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Holy Family Cemetery in Hillman at 5:30 also on Friday, June 11, 2021.