Ferrere-Plavny

Florine Victoria Ferrere-Plavny, 99, passed away Sunday, April 6, 2025, peacefully at home with her son, Steven, and pet schnauzer, Johannes, at her bedside after a long and fulfilling life.

A true “Renaissance Woman,” Florine was born at her family’s Maple Lawn Dairy in Boyers, to Marcel P. and Anna M. (Fazekas) Ferrere on Dec. 24, 1925.

She graduated from Grove City High School in 1943 and continued her education at the Butler Business College. Following school, Florine’s first position was as a dental assistant to Dr. Holstein in Grove City. She joined Bell of Pennsylvania’s advertising department during World War II, but patriotically resigned her position after the war “so the fellas would have jobs and be able to start families.”

Until her retirement from Slippery Rock University in the mid-1990s as payroll manager, Florine held a variety of accounting and payroll related positions with both U.S. Steel Corporation and the federal government. It was during her tenure at Letterkenny Army Depot, Chambersburg, Pa., that she met her future husband, Stanley S. Plavny, then a teacher at the Scotland School for Veterans’ Children. They married on Dec. 28, 1959, at St. Alphonsus Church, Murrinsville, Pa., and moved to Slippery Rock where her husband had accepted a teaching position at Slippery Rock State Teachers College. There, Florine was a devoted homemaker and member of the Faculty Wives organization until her husband’s death in 1968 when she accepted the college’s offer of payroll manager.

A devout Catholic, Florine was active at St. Peter’s Church in Slippery Rock throughout her life. As a young girl, she attended the commissioning mass and opening of St. Peter’s in 1938 with her father. Florine was an active member of the Christian Mothers and taught religious education for several years at the church.

A loyal Democrat, she attended numerous political events throughout Pennsylvania, especially Butler County, with her father, including campaigning for President John F. Kennedy. Throughout her life, Florine remained a quiet, yet staunch, supporter of women’s rights, religious freedom and fighting antisemitism. She also believed in America as a pluralistic society with equal rights for all and the importance of public service and political civility. She served as treasurer for the Slippery Rock/Grove City chapter of Zonta International, advocating improved education and equality for women for several years prior to retirement.

All through her life, Florine enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. In the early ’80s, she spent a month in Brazil where her son was a Rotary exchange student. Florine visited his host families in Juiz de Fora and toured the Baroque colonial villages of Ouro Preto and São João del-Rei in the state of Minas Gerais. She enjoyed the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and marveled at the contemporary architecture of Oscar Niemeyer in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia.

After retirement, Florine continued to travel, spending time with family and friends. She joined her son in 1993 for the launch of AT&T’s Telstar 401 Satellite at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., participated in the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta and traveled extensively throughout Europe and the British Isles for several decades.

Throughout her life, Florine was known for her love and devotion to family and friends. As a single parent, she was extremely supportive of her son’s education and career, often sacrificing money, time and energy. In addition, she spent many happy moments with her nieces and nephews and their children babysitting, having sleepovers or taking family vacations with them.

Florine is survived by her son, Steven M. Plavny; her beloved granddog, Johannes; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

In addition to her parents, Florine was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley S., who passed away Jan. 24, 1968; a sister, Veronica Dobson; three brothers, Marcel, Regis and Alfred Ferrere; and two granddogs, Marcello and Dieter.

FERRERE-PLAVNY — Family and friends of Florine Victoria Ferrere-Plavny, who died Sunday, April 6, 2025, will be received from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock. At the funeral home, Rosary will be recited at 4 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 11, at St. Faustina Parish, St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, 670 S. Main St., Slippery Rock, with the Rev. Father John Getsy presiding.

Private burial will follow at Epiphany Cemetery, Boyers.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Florine’s memory may be made to the Butler County Humane Society, butlercountyhs.org/make-a-donation/memorial-donations.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.