Flo was a charcater. Her calling in life was to become a missionary to the Maoris at Tokumaru Bay on the East Coast. It was her desire to go to China to work, having done some two years training in Melbourne. However, she was diagnosed as having a heart problem, so couldn't get permission to minister overseas. All through her life, at the appropriate moment, she would remind everybody “my heart you know”. She was a popular and well-loved figure among the Maoris at Tokumaru Bay, giving 25 years service before retiring in 1934 when she returned to live with her parents and sister Ethel. She became Secretary-Treasurer of the Church Missionary Society for the Napier district, a position she retained until her death. Flo thought the sun rose and set over the Clergy, and a lot of her conversation revolved around them. If was one of her great pleasures to have one of them stay in the house during Synod. Flo always seemed to wear the same fur coat, velvet hat atop a hairnet, a scarf, brooches and an artificial posy, and often two handbags. One of these conatined a collection of tracts which she handed out to likely recipients. Her walking stick was more an affectation than a necessity. Her face was always heavily powdered. She was never one to shun the limelight, and talked loudly and quickly. Flo and Ethel nursed their parents through their final years. Flo is remembere as a colourful character who gave the family quite a bit of amusement.

Source: Cherry SWAYN