Florence Mary Anna (Swope) Erdly

Florence Mary Anna Swope Erdly, 91, of Watsontown, died Friday February 20, at her home.

She was born November 15, 1923, in Turbotville, a daughter of the late Hugh Martin and Edith Ellen (Gold) Swope. She was the fourth of eight Swope children; six brothers, Robert Bannon, Horace Gold, Harry Leonard, Roy William, Lester Martin, Paul Samuel; and one sister, Margaret Mae Swope Reaser Umpstead. On November 16, 1943 she married Ray Erdly who preceded her in death in 1974. Together they celebrated 30 years of marriage.

Growing up, her family was poor, but she did not feel deprived. FDR provided relief during the Great Depression of 1929; she was 6. When Hugh invested heavily in a thrasher to earn money, the combine was invented and his finances were devastated.

Kids ran barefoot and saved their one pair of shoes for "good". In winter, everyone wore Arctics or galoshes. They bought shoes at an old country store, but most clothing was hand-me-downs altered to fit. Their clothes were not the best, but they were always warm. Her mother made hats and mittens; yards sales and flea markets were nonexistent. She was a cheerful person and never let them be depressed. They seldom discarded anything.

They never had enough money; it was mostly used for food. They raised much of their own food. Her mother canned vegetables from a big garden, and fruit from many trees. They had good neighbors; farmers shared eggs and meat. The little country store, not a supermarket, delivered groceries. They always had food, a mass of milk, and mountains of "manna" from Hoover, i.e., MUSH. (Thus cornmeal was NEVER served in the Erdly home!) They had no electricity, telephone, indoor plumbing, television, air conditioner, dish washer, microwave, or computer.

The 1930 license on their first car ran out in 1931. So they walked, usually from 2 to 3 mi from home. A ride to Milton was a big trip! Roads were either dirt and dust or mud and mire. Nevertheless, they seldom missed Sunday school or church; unlike nowadays, most people attended. Their road was paved in 1935; workers used picks and shovels. Her father worked on the roads for the township. On his very last day before retirement 1948, he said, "I should not go to work today." and a truck backed over him and killed him.

She saw her first bathtub in high school, her first shower even later. She never saw a movie until she was a junior; her history teacher took a class of 30 to see Gone with the Wind . She thought motion pictures were on the wall and somebody kept moving them around. She graduated from Turbotville High School in 1941.

Her older brother Harry and husband, Ray(born March 16, 1922) were good friends. Ray left school in 1939 to began working. He bought a car. They began double dating; movies, roller skating, ice skating, listening to The Grand Old Opry . They were never engaged.

His draft notice came on Christmas Eve 1942. He went to Fort Bragg. The day after he returned from boot camp, they married at St James Lutheran Church, Turbotville. Most weddings during WWII were very small. Since he did not attend church, they married in the parsonage; Four persons, but neither father, attended.

They lived in Brooklyn for two months; she worked at Sperry Gyroscope. He shipped out of the Brooklyn Naval Yard aboard the Queen Elizabeth on D-Day (1944 June 6). She went home and worked at Jasper. His letters were her highlight during WWII. She wrote to him every day; she often received his letters in bunches. V(Victory)-Mail was censored for military security. She met him at the Milton train station when he returned. He was honorably discharged from the Army in January of 1946.

She realized she was religious, but lost, and received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior 1978. She began attending Friendship Baptist Church July 1979. Jerry Caswell has been her faithful pastor. His wife Ruth helped her with the assurance of her salvation ( These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life , and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God . 1 John 5:13)

The six Erdly children are; four boys, Cecil Ray (Betty Holladay Blackstone), Rocky Nevin (Mary Ann Gray), Roy Charles Hugh and Jon Martin (Tammy Watson); two girls, Patricia Ann (Ron) Luckenbill and Marsha Dawn Sander. Florence also has 13 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Rocky(May 12, 2007); all six brothers; a daughter-in-law, Tammy(July 19, 2013); and a granddaughter, Eva(January 8, 2006).

She expressed in writing her heartfelt gratitude to son Roy for his help, " … in the many years he has carried out the coal and ashes, mowed the lawn, shoveled the snow, etc. Also, don't forget things like fixing the plumbing and other things. To hire it done would have cost a fortune. He did things like building the new steps front and back, helped fix the cellar way, and many other things."

The family is planning a Memorial Service to be held at 3 p.m., Tuesday, February 24 at Friendship Baptist Church, 10 Voris Road (off Susquehanna Trail), Watsontown. Friends will be received from 2 to 3 p.m. prior to the Service. Officiating will be Reverend James Gold and Pastor Jerry Caswell.

Burial will be held privately in Union Church Cemetery, Turbotville.

Memorial Contributions in Florence's name may be made to Friendship Baptist Church, 10 Voris Road, Watsontown PA 17777.

The family is being assisted by Cronrath-Grenoble Funeral Home, 308 Main Street Watsontown.

An Old Lady's Poem

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?

What are you thinking when you're looking at me?

A crabby old woman, not very wise,

Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply

When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,

And forever is losing a stocking or shoe …

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,

With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill …

Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?

Then open your eyes, nurse; you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,

As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten … with a father and mother,

Brothers and sisters, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,

Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.

A bride soon at twenty - my heart gives a leap,

Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,

Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.

A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,

Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,

But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.

At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,

Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;

I look at the future, I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing young of their own,

And I think of the years and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old woman … and nature is cruel;

'Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,

There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,

And now and again my battered heart swells.

I remember the joys, I remember the pain,

And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years … all too few, gone too fast,

And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,

… Not a crabby old woman; look closer …see ME!

Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed , In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ , who hath abolished death , and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10

Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death , crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man . Jesus took part of flesh and blood; that through death He might destroy the devil who had the power of death ; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage . Hebrews 2:9, 14-15