Flora Ann Loshbough

Flora Ann (Offner) Loshbough, at the age of 98, entered peacefully into the presence of her Lord on March 19, 2024, at Moravian Manor, Lititz, Pennsylvania.

Flora was born on November 28, 1925 in Zion, IL, to parents of 6 children. She was a faithful, loving wife to John “Jack” Charles Loshbough who preceded her into God’s presence in March 2008. Flora and Jack raised 4 children: Janet Cone, wife of Kim Cone (Plymouth, IN), Sharon Kready, wife of Dennis Kready (Lititz, PA), Brian Loshbough, husband of Anne Loshbough (Highland Park, IL) and Carol Foucachon, wife of Samuel Foucachon (Paris, France).

Flora graduated from the University of Illinois in 1947 with a B.S. in Physical Education. She taught P.E. at West Chicago Community High School and Wood River High School. Following Flora and Jack’s wedding in 1952, they attended Trinity seminary (IL) in preparation for their anticipated missionary work in what was then the Belgian Congo.

From 1954 to 1989 they ministered in the Belgian Congo/Democratic Republic of Congo/Zaire as missionaries with the Evangelical Free Church. After retirement, they volunteered for 15 years at the Wycliffe JAARS center in Waxhaw, NC. In 2004 they moved to Calvary Fellowship Homes in Lancaster, PA, to be near their daughter. Flora moved to Moravian Manor in August 2023 (Lititz, PA). Her children greatly appreciate the excellent, loving care she received from the nursing staff, activities personnel, and hospice workers at both these retirement homes.

As a missionary wife and mother, Flora had a ministry among the Congolese women, teaching reading classes, sewing, and Bible studies. She enjoyed teaching and grading Emmaus Bible Correspondence Courses as well as managing the twice-daily missionary short-wave radio contact at the various stations she lived. At the end of their missionary career, she and Jack opened up a work in a swamp area among the Water People in the DRC and were blessed to see God plant 16 churches there.

Flora’s dedication to her active husband, her family and ultimately to her Lord, will always be a treasured memory. Her life and example are a part of the great heritage left to her children who will greatly miss her love, her interest in their lives, her humor and her prayers for them.  As Proverbs 31 states, “Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her. Let her works praise her in the gates”.

Flora is survived by 2 sisters, Leola Paxton (Zion, IL) and Mavis Hines (Ann Arbor, MI) as well as 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Moravian Manor, 300 W. Lemon Street, Lititz.  A family celebration of thanksgiving for her life will be planned for a later date. Donations in Flora’s honor can be sent to: Bibles for Congo; acct # 2200-5415, https://give.efca.org/now  or if by mail: EFCA Donor Services, 901 E. 78^th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55420