Florence Hollis Marrone passed away on September 3, 2026 at Bethany Home in Providence, RI. She would have been 100 years old on October 28. She was born in Newington to Jacob and Mary Hollis, and graduated from Newington High School, where she was Valedictorian. She received her teaching degree from Teachers College of Connecticut (now CCSU), where she met her husband of 57 years, Ralph. She taught school with Ralph in Durham, CT before raising five children in Killingworth, where she lived until the age of 95. Florence was a Master Gardener who freely shared her plants and her knowledge of them, and she also created beautiful naturalistic gardens on a portion of their 20 acre property.

Florence was a member of The Killingworth Garden Club, The Connecticut Botanical Society and The CT Horticultural Society. She was an avid reader and life long learner. She cared deeply for education, and with a group of other residents, spearheaded the formation of the Killingworth library in 1964. In 1978 she was elected Judge of Probate in Killingworth, where she served for 14 years. After her husband's retirement, they traveled the entire 50 states and many countries around the world. Florence continued to travel after Ralph's death in 2006, visiting 95 countries in total. She was a Killingworth resident for 73 years.

Florence leaves her three daughters, Michelle Paton of Cumberland, RI, Allison Maltese of Guilford, CT (Philip), Pamela Marrone of Davis, CA (Michael Rogers), and her two sons, Ralph of West Newbury, MA (Catherine) and David of Collierville, TN. She also leaves 3 grandchildren, Brigette Spina (Matt), Gina Armon (Peter) and Maggie Marrone and 4 great grandchildren. She also leaves her sister, Mildred Hollis Lerner, of Hamden, CT. She was predeceased by her 4 sisters, Frances, Adeline, Cecelia, and Stella and 4 brothers, Julian, Fred, Stanley and Edwin.

Friends and family are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Lawrence Church in Killingworth on October 17 at 10:30 am. A reception will follow in the church hall. Internment will be private at St. Agnes Cemetery, Rte. 1 in Branford.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Killingworth Library, 302 CT 81, Killingworth CT, 06419, The Killingworth Land Conservation Trust, PO Box 825, Killingworth CT, 06419 or The Killingworth Garden Club, PO Box 615, Killingworth CT, 06419.

For additional information or to send the family a written expression of sympathy, please visit an online guest book at www.dyer-lakefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of the DYER-LAKE FUNERAL HOME, 161 Commonwealth Avenue, Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro, MA. (508) 695-0200.