Flo McIntosh always enjoyed travelling with the Lang Lang Seniors Citizens Club members.A SMALL gathering of friends and relatives said goodbye to Lang Lang’s Flo McIntosh at Springvale on Wednesday, 16 November.
The quiet farewell was representative of her life.
Always there, always willing to help someone, doing what she could for the community, much of it behind the scenes, and much loved by her friends.
She was born to Harry and Ada Young and, in her youth, was involved in the life of the church, particularly as a Sunday school teacher.
She married Keith (Mac) McIntosh in 1942 in Northcote Methodist Church.
Their first son, John, was still born; their second son, Kenneth, was born in 1945.
Kenneth was the apple of his parent’s eyes.
He suffered from cerebral palsy and Mac and Flo did everything possible to make his life happy.
This included encouraging him to enjoy his favourite pastime of fishing, which led in 1961 to a terrible boating accident in which Kenneth and Mac died.
Flo faced her adversity with courage, and with the help of her faith in God.
She devoted herself to her elderly parents and relied on the support of her dear friends Bonnie and Dick Dakon, who adopted her as part of their family, calling her ‘sister’ ever since.
Bonnie and Flo always had a very close bond due to their shared experience of having disabled children, and Flo gave Bonnie great support during many trying times.
Flo moved to Lang Lang in 1989 to be near Bonnie and Dick and their family, and joined the Senior Citizens Club of which Bonnie was secretary.
Flo became treasurer and held the position for 13 years until she retired in August 2005.
She was a keen and loyal member of the club, enjoying many trips and activities with her many Lang Lang friends.
Flo was also involved in the Salvation Army Cranbourne Church, enrolling with Bonnie as a soldier in November 1992.
She and Bonnie threw themselves into the league of mercy work.
Together they visited residents in the Kooweerup Nursing home for more than six years, where they fed and comforted residents and conducted services and Christmas carol celebrations, until they felt the need to retire.
Flo’s final few days were spent in the Monash Medical Centre, where illness finally overcame her.
The Salvation Army says ‘Promoted to Glory’, believing when a Christian dies he or she goes to Heaven to be with God in His Heavenly Glory.
Even though Flo knew her time was very short, she made sure those with her were okay; she was sorry to be putting them out.
Her first thoughts were for others.
