Florence Josephine Radford

Florence Josephine Radford, born Florence Josephine Tomporowski, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2026, in Long Lake, Minnesota, on the morning of her 97th birthday. Her family remembers this as a special blessing and a beautiful close to a full and complete life.

Born in 1929 to Warren and Rosella (Krawiecki) Tomporowski, Florence grew up on the family farm in Foley, Minnesota, with her six siblings. Four of them—William Tomporowski, Clothielde Jedlicki, Lorraine Pintok, and Martin Tomporowski—preceded her in death. She is survived by her twin sisters, Rose Lubbesmeyer and Rita Johnson, along with many beloved nieces and nephews.

Life on the farm instilled in Florence a strong spirit and enduring work ethic. As a young girl she chopped wood, made hay, walked to the one-room schoolhouse, and experienced the simple joys and hardships of rural Benton County, from being chased by chickens and geese to riding in the rumble seat of her brother Martin’s Model A. After high school, she moved to St. Paul, where she lived independently and worked at Montgomery Ward filling mail orders for sewing patterns. On a St. Patrick’s Day at the Turf Club, she met Jack Radford, the Irishman who became the love of her life. They married in 1952.

Together, Jack and Florence built their home in Little Canada overlooking Lake Gervais and raised their five children: Colleen Mechelke (Bruce, †2018), Terry Fleischhacker (Bill), Mary Radford, John Radford (Kristy), and Patty Radford Henderson (Chan Poling). Their years there were rich with family life—picnics in the yard, boating on the lake, caring for dogs, attending sporting events and lessons, landscaping, remodeling, hosting relatives, and attending weekly Mass. Florence’s entrepreneurial spirit shone through her home jewelry parties, work at the upscale Mary Adams dress shop, decades as a Forever Living representative sharing aloe vera products, and later her keen work in estate sales, where her eye for value became legendary.

Family remained the heart of Florence’s world. She and Jack often helped at their son John’s restaurant, the Mill Creek Inn, and she cherished traveling to visit loved ones and helping care for her growing family. Nana Flo was deeply loved by her grandchildren Lindsay Kendrick, Shane Mechelke (Angela Cavalier), Andrew Mechelke (Steph Green), Katelyn Radford, Emily Radford, Flynn Henderson, and Piper Henderson, and her great-grandchildren Elianna, Hadassah, Shemuel Kendrick, and Owen Mechelke, as well as step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

Florence found her greatest happiness in her garden, making chicken dumpling soup, hunting for antiques, and sharing stories and laughter with those she loved. She lived with resilience, humor, generosity, and an unconditional love that made everyone around her feel at home. She remained in the family home in Little Canada until 2018, after Jack’s passing in 1999, and spent her final years in Long Lake, Minnesota, surrounded by the devoted care of her daughters Mary and Terry and compassionate caregivers.