Florine Harwell

Imogene Florine Harwell

November 8, 1934- October 20, 2025 

Imogene Florine Harwell, was born November 8,1934 in Mason, Tennessee to Rolessie Hall Harwell and Jacob Harwell Sr. She transitioned peacefully on October 20, 2025 after a long and fulfilling life enjoyed with family and loved ones. Florine attended grammar school and high school in Tennessee and grew up caring for the family farm with her brothers and sisters. She moved to Buffalo, NY in 1954 where she worked as a laundress. Known to most as "Ma", "Aunt Flo," "Sister", and "Grandma Flo" she loved cooking and eating good food, traveling, attending family gatherings, and listening to good music- blues music to be exact. Florine had a natural way of nurturing others and making things grow. She was also a gifted homemaker, chef, and gardener and loved harvesting vegetables and preparing farm fresh foods. Flo was the original farm-to-table queen, always kept a garden in her yard, and even grew tomatoes and herbs on the patio of her senior apartment. Flo was the ultimate caregiver and became a safe haven for many young people in need, including children in the foster care system and being an "other-mother" to her nieces and nephews. Flo was a person that was always honest but never judging. She would always be direct and "give it to you straight" and love you anyway with unwavering loyalty. Florine will be missed dearly by all who knew her. 

Florine was preceded in death by her parents, Rolessie and Jacob Sr., siblings, Benard, Emma Lee, Vivian, Genevieve, Unobia, Ernest, Jacob Jr., James, Freddie James, and Bernice; two children Rachelle "Telly" Nix, and Earl "Johnny" Harwell; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Flo's loving memory will live on with her surviving family, her birth children: Doris Evans and James Seku "Junie" Harwell, children-in-heart Edward Harwell, Edquita Harwell, and Julie Harwell, her siblings, Katherine Vinson, Thomas James (Mary) Harwell, Joe Harwell, sister-in-law, Sally, and bonus sister/niece, Dorothy "Dottie" Bolden; her grandchildren Deleon (Kia) Evans, Kenya (Frank) Robinson, Raena Osizwe Harwell, Zaire Lerone Jacob Harwell, and Ajjita "Misty" Harwell; a second generation of grands: Mekhi, Sav'veyon, Derius, Brooklynn, Gracy, Kaden, Kamora, Jordin, London, Jaydin; bonus-grands Tammiqua Wells, Denisha Harwell, and Otis Workman; great-grandchildren: Kain Malik, Khalim Jacob, Mikel Dawayne Jr, Aniya Imani, Ma-Kie Da'Vahn, Mason Journey, Ma'Hari Da'Quan, Xola Kadir, and Gaia Lorraine; her life-long friend, Dorothy Shropshire and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends who love and adore her.

Relatives and friends may visit the LOMBARDO FUNERAL HOME (Snyder Chapel) 4614 Main St., Snyder, NY on Saturday morning from 11:00 - 12:00 Noon, where the funeral service will immediately follow. Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery. In liue of flowers donations may be made to NAMI Buffalo Chapter in Florine's memory.