Page 86 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine
P. 86
HONORING SENIORS
Lorene. Older twin brothers,
an older sister, and a younger
sister rounded out the happy, yet
poor, family of eight. Florene, an
amazingly spry 95-year-young
lady, recalls that, when she was
14, her family attended a grass
arbor gospel meeting. During
Brother G.B. Shelburne’s sermon,
her heart was ready to receive
Jesus as her Savior. She and her
older sister were baptized that
evening in the nearby river,
illuminated by the headlights
of those who’d driven there to
witness the occasion.
Florene and S.K. dated the few
months following the chance
meeting at the skating rink.
S.K. had entered the military
in 1938 at the tender age of
17, joining the 45 Division
th
National Guard, later known
as “The Mean, Lean, Fightin’
Machine.” He dearly loved his
A Poet by Donna Carter country and felt honored to
defend it and serve as a soldier
and officer, having earned ranks
on the Prairie from Private to Retired Reserve
Major during his military career.
Hitler’s troops were relentlessly
marching across Europe, so the
45 began active duty status. The
th
men trained stateside in harsh
ven though it wasn’t really remaining time. Afterwards, she conditions - “winter hardening”,
a date, Florene Flatt says hinted that she certainly would as it was called, in order to
Eshe literally fell for her like to have a Coke to drink. prepare them for the deplorable
future husband, S.K. Flatt, that Embarrassed, S.K. was forced to conditions of war awaiting them.
fateful day at the skating rink. admit he had no money to buy That winter was a particularly
Her Crews High School senior her one since he’d just bought a cold one with temperatures of
class (she was valedictorian) used car, so Florene ended up -48 degrees in New York and
enjoyed a skating party at Buffalo having to buy them! That day similar weather in Virginia,
Gap near Abilene. S.K. and some marked the beginning of their 60- where he also trained. Florene
friends happened to be there year relationship—one that held and S.K. listened on the radio as
that same afternoon. Although many adventures for this young, President Roosevelt announced
it seemed unfortunate at the naïve couple. that the US had declared war on
time, they accidentally knocked Japan after their surprise attack
Florene to the floor. S.K. helped Florene Berry was born just on Pearl Harbor. Two months
her up, and the two of them before the Depression on later, in 1942, they married, and
began skating for most of the February 2, 1924, in Ballinger, shortly thereafter, S.K. deployed
Texas, along with her twin sister
86 Lubbock Senior Link
