Artist, healer and teacher, Florence McNichols grew up in Lakewood, part of the large Slovak family. She attended St Cryil Methodius school, and loved to babysit in the neighborhood.

She says everything they did, from the bread her grandmother baked, to the friends they spent time with, was connected to being part of the Slovak community.

She went to school near Dayton, and began her nursing career . Ready for a transition, she wanted to use her skills in art and got an art teacher certificate, for K-12.

She taught in different grade levels, and enjoyed substitute teaching. and was offered a regular position, but she was not interested in another full time job.

Married at 25, Flo and her husband had three children, and seven grandchildren. Flo always enjoyed travel, appropriately making a visit to Slovakia one of her earliest trips.

She was fortunate to have taken an extended trip through Europe with her husband and a group of friends, before her husband passed away at 59.

While a lot has changed for women, much has not. Flo points out that women in major leadership roles are still somewhat uncommon. Opportunities are more available to women, but she believes we need to work much harder to achieve those positions.

A lifelong Catholic, she was happy to see altar girls at Mass, and would love to see women deacons come to the church.

Flo appreciates her friends. She continues to take art classes, paint and exhibit her work in shows. She joins her friends in book club, and still dislikes it when she doesn’t like the ending of a book.

She still enjoys travel, going to visit family, and recently took a trip to Ireland with her daughter.

Every day, she eats well and exercises. she dresses up and wears make up, even to exercise classes at the pool.

Her advice to younger women, is to take excellent care of yourself, never to think of yourself as old.