Florence Maiorana

Florence Maiorana (nee Vitale) was the last child born to a large family that immigrated to Detroit from Terasini, Sicily. Seven sisters and two brothers came before her. She was raised mostly by her older sisters. The family was poor and she grew up in the middle of the Great Depression. With such a large family, love and affection had to be shared along with beds and clothes. Christmas gifts were rare and came mainly from the Detroit Goodfellows. She was an Aunt the day she was born and grew up close to nieces and nephews that were more her age. Her role was to help her mother with household chores. A highlight of her childhood was when her older sisters made arrangements for her to go to summer camp in Lake Orion. She had the time of her life and it started a love of camping that she would later introduce to her own family.

She attended Southeastern High School and graduated in 1951. Like her sisters, Florence went to work at an early age. She soon met and fell in love with her future husband Anthony Maiorana. A wedding date was set in 1954. Their love and commitment was tested early as Tony was stricken with tuberculosis just days before their wedding. Tony’s mother and brother also came down with the disease. He spent nearly two years recovering in quarantine at Herman Kiefer Hospital. Tony and Flo were finally wed in 1956. They raised a large family having six children, Vincent, Salvatore, Judy, Vita, Michael, and Mary. In 1970 she began a colorful career as a waitress at the Spaghetti Palace. Stories of her time there and the people she met are quite entertaining.

The family grew, went camping together and stayed close. Tony and Flo were starting to travel, play golf, and enjoy life when he was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away in 1982. Florence was just 49 years old. Determined to take care of herself, she went back to work at Perry Drug Stores.

Within a few years she met her boyfriend John Pappas. Florence and John shared many good years that included boating and traveling. During that time she was saddened by the death of her eldest child Vince.

Another chapter in her life began after John passed away and she moved into her apartment at Rose Senior Living in 2016. Flo made several new friends and stayed active with card games, gardening, trips to restaurants, casinos, and the library to fulfill her passion for reading. Though Florence experienced some sorrow through the years she was blessed with wonderful friends and family. We celebrate her life as one who gave and received love and always persevered.

Florence was the beloved wife of the late Antonio. Loving mother of Salvatore (Mary) Maiorana, Judy (Daryl) Middleton, Vita (Tom) McGraw, Michael Maiorana, Mary (Bob) Myers, and the late Vincent Maiorana. Dear grandmother of Selina (Andy) Brummitt, Kelly (Brian) Zimmerman, Andrew (Rose) Middleton, Lindsay (Garret) Kubert, Jackie (Alan) Harris, Brian Middleton, Anthony Maiorana, Gina Maiorana, Anthony Myers, and Patrick Myers. Great-grandmother of nine.

Visitation Monday, February 13, 2023 from 3:00pm until 8:00pm at Bagnasco & Calcaterra Funeral Home, 13650 East Fifteen Mile Road, Sterling Heights.
Funeral Mass Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 9:30am with 9:00am Instate at St. Michael Catholic Church 40501 Hayes Road, Sterling Heights.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Flo’s favorite charities, St. Jude Children’s’ Research Hospital or Michigan Humane Society.