Florence Annastasia Navolanic, 95, passed away at Onslow House Assisted Living Center, Jacksonville, NC, on Monday, June 22, 2015."Flo" was a Jacksonville resident and Infant of Prague Catholic Church parishioner for nearly 60 years and a Marine wife for 28 years. She was born in Mar-Lin, PA in the home of her parents, Matthew & Veronica in 1920, the 9th of 10 children. At age 20, she left her hometown for Philadelphia where she met her future husband Joseph when he spotted her through a window of the military depot where she was a uniform seamstress, passing her a note in an empty shell casing that she has kept to this day. They were married on October 25, 1941. She was a wonderful mother and great cook, often having to manage their home and family on her own due to Joe's many military deployments. She always put their 5 children before herself, loving and helping them no matter what.

Flo was a former long-time member of the Catholic Daughters of America and a lifetime member of the Women's Auxiliary of the Disabled Veterans of America. She was also an active member of the Onslow Craft Guild for many years where she participated in many craft shows, displaying her beautiful handiwork of crocheting, crewel embroidery, knitting, cross stitching, stuffed animals, ceramics, copper tooling and dolls. Bingo was also a favored pastime with her young children at the SNCO Club & Catholic Church. Being an accomplished seamstress, she made a lot of her daughter's clothes and all the children's Halloween costumes. She would see an item in a clothing store and be able to make a duplicate with a pattern from the local fabric stores. She worked part time at Sears in New River Shopping Center in the layaway dept., plus was the store's custom Easter basket maker and gift wrapper for many years. She loved watching basketball, football, and baseball games on TV while working on her handiwork, attending a few professional and college games throughout the years and also cheered at her sons' Little League games and daughter's softball games.

Flo was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, CWO4 Joseph G. Navolanic, USMC(Ret.), her brothers Albert & Mickey plus her 7 sisters, Veronica, Agnes, Julie, Helen, Blanche, Mary, & Violet. She is survived by daughter Florence Butler & her husband Joe, grandchildren Christine & Joe E., greatgrandchildren Josh, Blake, Jackson & Heather, greatgreatgrandchildren William, Mason, Mattie & Eli of Nesbit, MS; son Joseph of Greensboro, NC; son Raymond of Cumming, GA; son Michael of Willow Springs, NC & grandsons John of San Diego Naval Base & Kevin of Raleigh, NC; & daughter Christine Weaver & her husband Jeff of Jacksonville, NC.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am Friday, June 26, at Infant of Prague Catholic Church, followed by burial at the Coastal Carolina Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior to the service in the church vestibule.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent in her name to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401 or Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary, 119 Doe Drive, Hubert, NC 28539 (possumwoodacres.org).

The family would like to especially thank the aides and SICs at Onslow House for the special care provided to our Mother during her stay, plus the chaplain, social worker, aides and RNs of Lower Cape Fear Hospice for the extra comfort and healthcare needs during her advanced illness.