Florica (Andras) Stefanut was born in Pestere, Romania on August 30, 1933. She grew up as the fifth child in a close-knit Christian family of eight siblings: Dumitru, Maria, Olimpia, Grigore, Florica, Stela, Romica (Roma) and Petru. She turned to God and made a covenant with him through baptism at the age of 16. From her childhood, Florica was hardworking, perseverant, and put others above herself in everything she did, from working in the cherry orchards, to caring for her younger brothers and sisters. Her father encouraged her to stay home and help on the farm in order to support the family, so she never went to technical school. We know from her testimony that she never resented serving her family this way; her memories from her childhood home always lit up her face with joy. From then on, altruism and tenacity marked her entire life. Some examples are worth mentioning in order to truly know who Florica was as a faithful wife, loving mother, and most recently as a self-giving grandmother and great-grandmother.
In 1951, Romulus (Nicu) Stefanuti asked to marry Florica and she moved to Gavojdia to live with her in-laws. Her practical wisdom and hard work proved to be very useful in what followed: a few months after she got married, Nicu was drafted into the military for the next three years. Being pregnant with her daughter, Lidia, Florica worked alone at the family farm, also taking care of her mother and father-in-law, both of whom were sickly at that time. In those three years by herself, Florica also raised her daughter, taking her along with her in the fields. Only God knows how she succeeded to take care of her child, her in-laws, and the farm at the same time.
When Nicu came home from the military, things turned around for the better, until the communist dictatorship decided to confiscate all private property. Then, Florica and Nicu lost their farm overnight, with all their animals, farming equipment, and land. A little lot remained for them in the backyard which they could tend in order to feed their family. At that time Nicu found a job with the railroad company, but Florica was forced to work in the commune for little to nothing. After hard years of work, she got ill with arthritis of the hip, forcing an early retirement. Though she was retired, she did not remain idle, but was able to help raise Lidia’s children, Romica and Irina, in the village. In her free time she raised livestock, made brooms and traditional noodles. Except for Sundays, she was an exceptional homemaker every day, as her siblings, children, and neighbors testify.
In the 1990s after the fall of communism, although Florica and Nicu received their land back, their health and age did not allow them to work as effectively as in the old days. Mihai and Lidia often visited Florica and Nicu at their farm to help in the fields as much as they could. In spite of this, Florica had to bear the burden at this time, again, as her husband got progressively sick with Parkinson’s disease. In 2000, Florica and Nicu moved to Caransebes to be closer to their children and grandchildren. In Caransebes, Florica was involved in the Gethsemane Baptist Church, especially in the women’s ministry and in the church’s daily prayer group.
When her two grandchildren moved to the United States, and after the death of her husband in 2004, Florica wanted to be closer to her children. In 2005 she had a hip replacement which enabled her to walk again in order to travel to America. After recovery from her surgery she came to America in May 2006, living at first with Irina and Ovidiu Olariu in Lawrenceville, GA and then with Romica and Bethany Stefanut in Chicago. Her greatest joy was to help raise her great-grandchildren, Annika, Timaeus, and Ethan. For Annika, Grandma Florica was a like a mother, spending both days and nights together until Florica got sick with lymphoma in 2011. Initially, Florica did not want to treat her cancer, but at the encouragement of the family she decided to go through chemotherapy. With God’s help she survived the difficult treatment and subsequent heart-attack, and she became well again.
Once at home, her dream was to see her family living in the same place. Her dream came true this fall but at the same time her health degraded until she passed away, surrounded by her entire family, on December 6, 2015. Her memory will remain carved in the hearts of those who knew her forever. Florica was a great woman, a sacrificial mother, a faithful wife, and altruistic grandmother and great-grandmother. Above all she was a servant of God devoted to the local church and to Jesus Christ, who she has now met face-to-face in heaven. There united with her husband, Nicu, she is looking forward to meet each one of us in his or her time. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and our faith in him, we have the hope of glory.