Florence G. Danko

Florence Danko, 92, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Concord, NH. She was born in Dartmouth, MA, the daughter of Luigi and Mary (Bollea) Regis. She had two sisters, Rena (Regis) Mendes, Elinor (Regis) Reed and a brother, Louis Regis who have predeceased her.

Florence grew up in the Crossroads section of Dartmouth in an area in which nearly every home was occupied by a family relative. She had a wonderful and rich childhood playing with her numerous cousins and attending family gatherings. She attended Dartmouth High School, while also working part time at an auto theater and an ice cream shop. In high school, she enjoyed many school activities, including cheerleading, library aid and she was a class officer. After graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper for John S Dunn, a firm that did bookkeeping and payroll for fishing boats in New Bedford.

Florence met her future husband Thomas (Tom) Danko while she was in eighth grade. They attended Dartmouth High School together. Their relationship continued to strengthen while Tom was away at the University of Massachusetts studying Poultry Science. They were married in 1952 soon after Tom’s graduation from college and moved into Tom’s family farm in North Dartmouth. The farm was in the country where they had a large garden, fruit trees and of course a chicken farm to manage. Florence continued to work as a bookkeeper until her first daughter was born in 1953. Tom and Florence managed the poultry farm for five years before Tom took a job in NH where he worked for the NH Extension Service. They moved to Boscawen, NH where they settled down and continued to expand their family.

They had five children Susan, Lynne, Steve, Mike (deceased in 2019) and Joseph. They enjoyed a long and loving marriage of 68 years until Tom's passing in 2020. It was a relationship that set the proper example for their children. Florence spent her time raising the children and running the household. The family always had a large garden as well as chickens, rabbits and turkeys. The focus was always love of family, supporting each other, and hard work. The family gatherings with her Italian relatives continued for more than 50 years and were embraced by her children, who still continue to have large gatherings on holidays cooking Florence’s favorite Italian recipes.

Once her children were all out of middle school, Florence went back to work as a bookkeeper for the Wendell Butt Funeral Home. She also worked as the Executive Administrative Assistant for the Merrimack Valley Superintendent of Schools until 1978. After the children were grown, Florence and Tom both volunteered tirelessly at the Immaculate Conception Church Food Pantry, Boscawen Library, and supporting numerous church functions.

Florence was always there for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her loving approach and willingness to do whatever was needed created an enduring legacy for her entire family.

She leaves behind daughter Susan and husband Rodney of Nova Scotia, daughter Lynne of Manchester, son Steven and wife Heidi of Boscawen, son Michael's wife Lynn (Greenleaf) Danko of Oregon, son Joseph and wife Barbara of Oregon. She also leaves grandchildren, Seth, Jason, Benjamin, Zachary, Calida, Micaela and step-grandchild Isabel Greenleaf; and great grandchildren, Isabella, Emma, Amelia, Olivia, Jacob and Nathalie. She was the loving aunt and Godmother of Joanne Mendes of New Bedford, Massachusetts and Cathy Reed of Michigan Center, Michigan.

The family would like to thank the staff at John H. Whitaker Place and Granite VNA Hospice House for the loving care that they provided. They would also like to thank Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium. A funeral mass for Tom and Florence Danko, will be held on Friday, August 11 at 10:00 am at the Immaculate Conception Parish, 9 Bonney Street, Penacook, NH. Donations may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church Food Pantry in Penacook, NH or the Boscawen Town Library.