Floriene Stern

Floriene Pochyla Stern, 101, of Levelland passed from this life on July 5, 2021.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at Krestridge Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, July 8, 2021, in the First United Methodist Church.  Interment will follow in the City of Levelland Cemetery.

She was born March 17, 1920 in West, Texas to Henry Frank and Johanna Itschner Pochyla.  The family moved to Waco when Floriene was 3 months old.

Floriene married Lonnie Henry Stern on December 22, 1940 in Waco.  After living in Lubbock, California, North Carolina, Washington D.C., Boston, Florida, Houston and Plainview, they moved to Levelland in 1964.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, a charter member of the Marigolds, Las Fidelis Study Club, South Plains College Texan Club, Texas A&M Century Club, Lubbock Symphony Guild and Wednesday Bridge Club.

Floriene served as a Commissioner of Hockley County Housing Authority and was bookkeeper for her husband’s business, Producers Marketing Assn.  She also served on numerous committees of her church, sang in the choir and played in the Hand Bells.

She and Lonnie endowed a President’s Scholarship at Texas A&M, and she endowed an Agriculture Scholarship at South Plains College in memory of Lonnie.  Floriene also endowed a President’s Scholarship at Texas A&M in memory and honor of her husband and sons, a President’s Scholarship in memory of her 4 brothers at Texas A&M, and a scholarship at Baylor in memory of Lorene and Alfred Pochyla.

Floriene received many honors including life membership in United Methodist Women, Marigold of the Year, Community Builder Award by Eastern Star & Masonic Lodge, Service Above Self by Noon Rotary Club, Certificate of Merit for Volunteerism by South Plains College, Levelland Citizen of the Year by Levelland Chamber of Commerce, and Lifetime Achievement Award by Levelland Chamber of Commerce.  She also served on the Board of Directors at SPC.

Floriene is survived by son, Ernie and wife Nataliya of Houston; three granddaughters, Amber Hendricks of Livonia, MI, Nadezhda Mitchell of Liberty, Texas, and Anna Serikova of Kiev, Ukraine; great granddaughter, Winsome Hendricks; great grandson, Holden Hendricks; and assumed grandson, Andy Hudgens of Lubbock.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lonnie; son, Lon; and her 4 brothers, Alfred Pochyla of Waco, Fred Pochyla of Dallas, Bennie and Herbert Pochyla of Arizona.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Krestridge Funeral Home.  (806) 897-1111