Florence Esther Kiehn

In the early morning of Dec. 19, Florence Esther Kiehn died peacefully at the Columbia Crest Care and Rehabilitation Center in Moses Lake of natural causes.

Family, friends and familiar staff members just prior to her passing had visited Florence.

She was the daughter of Albert and Lena Dehnel. Lena was the oldest daughter of Johann and Wilhelmina Wellsandt who lived on Wellsandt Road south of Ritzville.

Born Oct. 21, 1906, Florence at about the age of three was afflicted with polio in her legs, which her grandfather Johann treated therapeutically by rubbing in warm oils, a novel treatment by that inventive Adams County pioneer.

Florence’s many lifelong interests and hobbies included gardening, fishing, social clubs, needlework and homemaking.

While in Ritzville she early-on excelled at baking beautiful multi-tier wedding cakes for couples throughout Adams County for which all the decorations were made by hand, which she often proudly described as being made “from scratch” or from basic ingredients. Later in life she worked many years with her husband Aaron in Walla Walla at their grocery store,

The Green Park Market. Florence was a member of the Ritzville Emanuel Lutheran Church. Graveside services will be announced in the spring of 2014.

Florence was preceded in death by sister Esther Dehnel, who died as a child, husband Aaron A. Kiehn, younger brothers Edwin Dehnel, Vernon Dehnel and Robert Dehnel. Of that family she is survived by sister-in-law Velma Dehnel who resides in Ritzville, sons Orville A. Kiehn of Ruckersville, VA, daughter-in-law Marilyn C. Kiehn of Ruckersville, Michael D. Kiehn of Moses Lake, three grandsons Mark, Carl and Paul and three great grandsons Johnathon, Gabriel and Jonah.