Sister Florence Leone Poch, OSF (1929-2024)

Sister ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Florence Leone Poch, OSF, 94, died in St. Joseph Care Center in Spokane Washington, on January 7, 2024. She had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 74 years. Sister Florence was born, Donna Lee Poch in Fairfax, Washington on February 15, 1929. She was a member of Visitation Parish and a graduate of St. Leo High School in Tacoma, when she entered the congregation in 1948. She professed her first vows in 1950. She earned a BS in Elementary Education and Social Science from Marylhurst College. She ministered primarily in education and spiritual ministry.

Sister Florence spent most of her religious life in the Diocese of Spokane.  She began in elementary education at St. Charles School, where she taught for nine years.  In the early 1970s, she shifted focus to spiritual retreat work and served in administration at Immaculate Heart Retreat House and at St. Joseph Home.  In 1975 she established Kairos House of Prayer, an ecumenical house or prayer on a hilltop about 12 miles north of Spokane and continued to serve as director of the center and spiritual guide for 42 years. In 2020, Sister Florence retired to Emilie Court Assisted Living Center and then to St Joseph Care Center in Spokane where she served in prayer ministry until her death.

Additional ministry service includes five years in the San Diego Diocese teaching at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in San Diego.  She spent three years in the Baker Diocese teaching at Sacred Heart Academy in Klamath Falls and St. Joseph Academy in Pendleton.  She also served for one year at St. Joseph Hospital in LaGrade.  In the Portland Archdiocese, she taught for one year at St. James School in McMinnville.

A prayer vigil will be on Thursday, January 25 at 6 P.M. at St. Charles Parish, 4515 N Alberta St., Spokane, Washington. Mass of Christian Burial will be at the same location on Friday, January 26 at 10 A.M. with a reception to follow.

Internment of ashes will take place after the reception in Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N Wall St., Spokane. Sister Florence is survived by her niece, nephew, and her Franciscan family. Donations in her name can be made to the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, 609 S. Convent Road, Aston, PA 19014.