Florence Werner – Of blessed memory
Bob and Florence Werner
Florence Bryna Werner passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, at the age of 85, surrounded by loved ones in her home in Aventura, FL.
“Florence was an Eshet Chayil, A Woman of Valor,” said her husband Bob Werner. Eshet Chayil is a portion from the Book of Proverbs (chapter 31:10–31) that is traditionally sung before the Friday night Shabbat meal. “Many years ago, I started reading it to Florence every Friday night. Even after her passing, my family and I still recite it every Shabbat over Zoom in her honor,” said Bob.
Florence lived a life full of love, having married her sweetheart Bob on August 10, 1952 in a double wedding with Bob’s identical twin brother. Together, they raised four beautiful children, helped to build Werner Ladder Co., a successful family business, traveled the world, supported numerous charitable causes, shared a love of Israel and Jewish tradition, and amassed a one-of-a-kind glass art collection that will be donated to the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami.
“We first met on a blind date, nearly 70 years ago; she was wearing a yellow dress,” recounts Bob. “We never had a fight in our nearly 68 years of marriage; our life together was filled with a mutual love and respect for each other.”
Florence was passionate about the arts, especially opera. She relished her roles as a supernumerary in A Masked Ball (Un Ballo) and Carmen. For her 75th birthday celebration in Santa Fe, Mezzo Soprano Deborah Domanski sang her aria from Carmen for the whole family.
“Florence was fun and had great taste. She loved family, friends, bridge, needlepoint, tennis and travel. She also had the gift of reading people and knowing what made them tick. She had a special ability to make another human being feel important. That is why the friendships she made stayed with her throughout her life,” shared Bob.
The importance of philanthropy and ttikkun olam (repairing the world) was central to Florence’s life and something she and Bob instilled in their family. “We are grateful for everything that has been good in our lives. And the way we show our gratitude is by giving back,” said Bob.
Florence was a lifetime member of the Women’s International Zionist Organization and Hadassah. She was a board member of the Florida Grand Opera and Citizens Interest in Arts, and a proud Lion of Judah. She and Bob, together, have also been Pacesetter-level donors to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation for over 20 years.
In 2001, Florence had attended a Women’s Division event where she learned about the Lion of Judah Endowment program from Mikki Futernick, the program’s founder. “This concept of perpetuating our values and our charitable support of the Jewish community was something that resonated for us. We became Forever Pacesetters through a gift of life insurance, years before it was even called that,” Bob added.
Florence will be forever remembered by friends and family as an elegant, gracious, charitable and kind woman whose warmth made everyone smile. Her spirit is carried on by her four children, Beverly, Marc, Michael and Ronald, 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren (with the eighth on the way, G-d willing!) and extended family and friends who deeply cherished her. Through the Florence J. Werner Lion of Judah Endowment fund, Florence’s philanthropy and Jewish values will continue in perpetuity.
