Gerrard marks 101 years of faith, service & Braves baseball

At 101 years old, Flo is still smiling, still inspiring others and still keeping up with her beloved Atlanta Braves. For her milestone birthday, she was honored with a special Braves-themed poster filled with baseball memories, patriotic touches and a bold message across the center: “Happy 101st Birthday FLO.”

Members of American Legion Post 121 and the American Legion Auxiliary were also in attendance, bringing gifts, cake and birthday wishes to honor Flo’s service, legacy and remarkable life.

For Flo, the Braves are not just a casual interest. At Stonehenge Senior Living, she keeps the Braves schedule printed out beside her chair and rarely misses a game on television. Her favorite player is Braves legend Chipper Jones, and for her 101st birthday, she received an autographed photo of Braves pitcher Bryce Elder. The birthday poster and special Braves gifts were more than decorations – they were a celebration of one of her favorite pastimes and a reminder that Flo’s spirit, humor and team loyalty remain strong.

But behind the birthday crown and Braves red is the remarkable story of a woman whose life has crossed more than a century of American history.

Flo was born Florence Margaret Ness on June 24, 1925, in Proctor, Minnesota, to Ella Margaret and Maurice Harald Ness. Her father, Maurice, was born in Norway and worked loading iron ore onto ships in the Duluth harbor before becoming a traveling evangelist. Because of his ministry, Flo’s family moved often throughout her early years, carrying with them a strong faith and the ability to make do in hard times.

Some of Flo’s first childhood memories came from Grenora, North Dakota, where the family lived in a small rural town shaped by the Great Northern Railway. One of the homes she remembered was a sod house, built mostly underground to protect against brutal Dakota winters. Another home had no running water, meaning water had to be pumped by hand and carried upstairs, while coal had to be hauled from the basement to keep the stove going.

Those early years were not easy, but they helped shape the strength and determination that would follow Flo throughout her life.

Faith became part of her story at a young age. At 9 years old, Flo gave her life to Christ and was baptized by her father in the Red River while the family lived in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Around that same time, her father began a radio program, and Flo made her singing debut on the air.

In 1934, when Flo was 9, her life changed again. To provide stability for school, Flo and her older brother Bob were sent to Proctor, Minnesota, to live with their grandparents, Harald and Anna Kjellman. With their train tickets pinned securely to their clothing, 9-year-old Flo and 11-year-old Bob boarded a train alone for the 270-mile trip to Duluth, where their grandparents met them at the depot.

Flo called her grandparents Papa and LaLa. They became a major influence in her life. Her grandmother taught her how to keep house, bake bread, make pies and take care of the daily work of a home. In winter, snowdrifts could reach 8 feet, and temperatures sometimes dropped to 40 below zero.

Even so, Flo’s childhood was filled with adventure. While living in Proctor, she and her friends played near an old abandoned mansion that she remembered as once belonging to Buffalo Bill Cody’s aunt. Behind the house stood an old barn where a private stagecoach was stored. To the children, it became the perfect place to imagine themselves riding through the trails of the Old West.

By age 14, Flo had earned all of her Girl Scout badges. In 1939, when the King and Queen of England visited Duluth, Flo was chosen from her Girl Scout troop to present flowers to the Queen. She also had the honor of holding the King’s heavy wool coat, which she remembered was decorated with medals.

As Flo grew older, the world around her changed quickly. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, her brother Bob was called into the Navy, and her mother went to work in Chicago during the war effort. Flo graduated from Hyde Park High School in Chicago in 1943, then worked for two eye doctors, helped proofread a book and wrapped baby gifts at Marshall Field’s department store.

Soon, Flo would answer the call to serve as well.

During World War II, Flo joined the Women’s Army Corps, becoming part of a generation of women who stepped forward when the nation needed them. She served at McCloskey General Hospital in Waco, Texas, where she helped care for wounded soldiers and amputees returning from war.

Her work placed her face to face with the cost of freedom. Flo helped wounded men regain dignity in small but meaningful ways, including assisting one soldier who had lost both hands by helping him turn pages with a pencil secured to his wrist. In another unforgettable moment, her Type A blood was used for an immediate transfusion for a wounded soldier.

Those memories reflect the heart of Flo’s service – not only wearing the uniform, but caring deeply for those who had sacrificed so much.

After the war, Flo continued a life centered on faith, family and service. Alongside Frank Ford, she became deeply involved in supporting veterans and honoring their sacrifices. After moving to Union County in 1970, Frank and Flo helped strengthen the local veteran community through their work with organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans.

Their efforts helped support veteran care and recognition in the North Georgia mountains, including the establishment of the Blairsville VA Clinic and the North Georgia Honor Guard. When the Honor Guard needed uniforms, Flo put her sewing skills to work, altering them so the men could stand with dignity while honoring fallen veterans.

Perhaps one of the greatest parts of Frank Ford and Flo Ford Gerrard’s legacy is Holly Hill Veterans Cemetery, a place created to honor veterans and their spouses with respect, dignity and gratitude. What began as a mission of love has become a sacred place of remembrance for families across the region.

Even at 101, Flo continues to show that her heart for others has not slowed down. She recently purchased seven headstones at Holly Hill Veterans Cemetery for five spouses and two sons who did not have markers. It was an extraordinary gesture of love, remembrance and respect – another example of Flo quietly making sure families and loved ones are honored with dignity.

Flo later preserved many of her memories in her book, “All-American Woman: Flo’s Life Story,” offering future generations a personal look at the childhood, faith, service, sacrifice and humor that shaped her remarkable life.

At 101, Flo Ford Gerrard remains a living connection to history – a girl from Minnesota, a child of faith, a World War II veteran, a wife, mother, author, Braves fan and lifelong servant to others.

Her life is a reminder that greatness is not always loud. Sometimes it is found in carrying water up the stairs, singing on the radio as a child, boarding a train with a ticket pinned to your coat, caring for wounded soldiers, sewing Honor Guard uniforms, cheering for the Braves, purchasing headstones so others are remembered, and spending a lifetime making sure people are honored.

Happy 101st Birthday, Flo.

Thank you for your service, your faith, your strength and your extraordinary example.