Francis Floriene Whisnant, 97, of Colby, passed away on March 5, 2020.
Floriene was born on August 11, 1922, in Wellsville, Kansas, to Frank O. Raley Sr. and Mary Jane (Baldwin) Raley. While living in Hamilton County, Kansas, she witnessed the dirty-thirties and had dust pneumonia for two successive years. The doctor told her parents her heart would not stand another winter of dust – she proved him wrong. The family moved back to eastern Kansas to the Bush City area and she completed high school in Kincaid, KS. In the fall of 1940, Floriene entered nurses training in Chanute and graduated in 1942. While in nurses training, she met a student pilot, Harley W. Whisnant and they were married on November 25, 1942. To this union four children were born, Gary, Anita, Marlene and Pamela. Harley and Floriene made their home in Goodland and while there, her nursing skills were utilized by working at Boothroy Hospital, the Good Samaritan Center, nurse for Dr. William Madden’s practice and part-time for Dr. W.A. Smiley. She was also a Public Health Nurse and Migrant Health Nurse for the State of Kansas. She was a part of the pilot project for the WIC food program. Sometime in the 80’s, she decided she would retire but then returned doing chart work for Connie’s Home Health Agency. In 1992, she was named as a Red Cross nurse. Floriene was active in the Methodist Church, teaching Sunday school, was a Den Mother and later in life volunteered for the Heartland Share Food Program. She also was a Life Member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, giving many years of service to this organization, receiving her 65 year pin in 2019. Harley and Floriene were married 56 years before his death in 1999, and in 2004 Floriene moved to Colby to be closer to family. She loved caring for grandchildren and great grandchildren and attending their events.
Floriene is survived by her children, Gary (Rosa, Brewster, KS, Anita (Dan) Washburn, Ponder, TX, Marlene (Mike) Potter, Guymon, OK and Pam (Dewey) Augustine, Coby, KS; grandchildren, Jon Whisnant, Matt, Aaron and Adrian Washburn, Jeff, Kenneth and Kevin Potter, Dana Bolyard and Matt Augustine; step-grandchildren, Jesse Barrera, Israel Hernandez, Reina Barrera and Jacob Falcon; 18 great grandchildren and 14 step-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Alfred, George, Frank Raley, Jr and sister Dardanella McMichael.
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby, with services at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2020, also at the Mortuary. Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m. CDT at the Goodland Cemetery, Goodland, KS. Memorials are suggested to Genesis of Thomas County or Hospice and can be sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com