Florence ''Jo'' Draheim Ehlers October 18, 1915-November 28,2003

A celebration of a long life well lived - In loving memory

Richland resident Jo Ehlers died on November 28, 2003 at 88 years of age. Named Florence Jean Draheim at birth, Jo as everyone knew her was born in Waseca, Minnesota, to Effie Wood Draheim and Aaron H. Draheim who farmed and owned a dairy. Jo had three sisters and three brothers and everyone had chores. The girls had house chores and the boys tended the vegetable garden and looked after the animals.

Jo graduated from Waseca High School in 1933 and the Lawrence Beauty Academy in Minneapolis, MN. She married her high school sweetheart, Germain ''Jerry'' Ehlers on July 3, 1937. They had two children, Judy Jo and John.

Jo and Jerry G.F. Ehlers moved their family to Richland from Minnesota in 1944 during the construction of Hanford. Beginning in 1965, Jerry's job took them to Mississippi, California, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina as he worked on the Saturn Missile and commercial nuclear projects for General Electric. Following Jerry's death in 1975, Jo lived in San Diego until 1999 when she returned to the Tri-Cities.

Jo was an expert seamstress and sewed for her family and friends. She made wonderful Halloween creations, costumes for plays, formal dresses and she loved to make quilts. She sewed for many community groups, wherever she was living, including costumes for high school cheerleaders, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, etc. In Pennsylvania she taught classes on using knits and lingerie fabrics. In San Diego she used her skills as a seamstress and designer to create interior decorations. She especially enjoyed sewing projects for Designers Showcase homes and continued to do custom work until she was 80. We used to tease her that she never met a piece of fabric she didn't like.

During her childhood, Jo earned the highest honor in Girl Scouts as a Golden Eaglet and was very proud that all four of her grandsons and one great-grandson are Eagle Scouts.

Jo was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister and friend---quick with a smile, encouragement, and enthusiasm. She could usually be found down on the floor playing with the grandchildren and at bedtime she told fabulous tales, including stories of her childhood. Only trouble was, she had difficulty re-telling the same stories when they were requested at a later date because there were so many! Jo enjoyed life to its fullest and especially enjoyed local and international travel.

Survivors include: daughter Judy Jo Ehlers Evanoff and husband Dick of Pasco; son John Ehlers and wife Bev of San Diego; four grandsons; Brad Evanoff and wife Laura, Mike Evanoff and wife Sherry, Darren Ehlers and Brian Ehlers and four great grandchildren; Casey, Tasha, Hunter and Tate. She also leaves two sisters: Gretchen Dunn Seal Beach, CA and Phyllis Christ Pipestone, MN, and brother Wes Draheim and wife Phyllis Waseca, MN and several nieces and nephews. We love you, Mom.

At her request, Jo was cremated and will be buried at a later date in Waseca, MN next to her husband, Jerry Ehlers.