Lois H. Vogler died peacefully on September 20, 2024, in Riverview, Florida at the age of 100.

Lois is survived by her children, Kurt Vogler of Waterford, Michigan, and Drey Coleman and son-in-law, Daniel Coleman of Valrico, Florida.  Her granddaughters, Aubrey Coleman, Judy Barron and Elizabeth Splan and her husband Timothy Splan and her great-granddaughters, Brittany Barron and Avery Splan.

Lois was born on November 10, 1923, to Theresa (who called herself Betty) and William Heller in Newark, New Jersey.  At the tender age of 3, her family moved to Irvington, and her father started his own fuel oil business.  They bought their dream home in Maplewood and her father was heading toward a successful business and planned retirement in his 40s when the stock market fell and the country experienced the great depression.

Following the depression, the family was able to return to their home in Maplewood (having rented it out during that time), and Lois led an idyllic life until the US was drawn into WW2.   A few years earlier, while in High School, Lois met the man who would be her husband, Alfred (Fred) Vogler.  Fred was born in Dresden, Germany, and his family immigrated to New Jersey in 1927.   In 1941, Fred was drafted into the Army Air Corp (later the Air Force) and served in the South Pacific during the war.  During the war, Lois worked and had a busy social life living near New York City.  But, when Fred returned from the war in 1945, he proposed to Lois and they were married three weeks later.    Their life together was a beautiful love story.

After her marriage at the age of 21, Lois had the opportunity to live in many states throughout the US as Fred rose through the ranks in his military  career (and later she could boast she had visited all 50 states).  In 1947, the couple started their family with the birth of their son, Kurt.  Later, in 1956, they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Drey.  In 1962, Lois battled breast cancer and, unfortunately, in 1965, Fred succumbed to a brain aneurysm.  At that time Fred was a full Colonel and was attached to the Pentagon responsible for seeking appropriations from Congress for the Air Force.

With the loss of Fred, the family experienced a huge change in their lifestyle and moved to Florida to be closer to Lois' mother.  The family enjoyed the relaxed living in Florida, but in 1969, Lois battled uterine cancer.  Again, she beat the odds.  Kurt joined the Air Force and Betty (Lois' Mom) moved in with Lois and Drey.  The three generations got along splendidly and had many travel adventures together.  Betty lost her life to cancer in 1983.

Lois then started traveling with friends to many countries in Europe and elsewhere, including being part of one of the first groups to travel into Russia when they opened in the mid-1980s.  She also had the opportunity to travel to Europe extensively, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand.  Her passion for travel continued well into her late 80s.

Lois loved family above all else, but her love of chocolate was a close second.  In 1993 Lois moved from the East Coast of Florida to the Tampa area to be closer to her daughter, Drey, and son-in-law, Dan, and her granddaughter, Aubrey.  In fact, she fulfilled a promise made to Aubrey that she would try to live to be 100.  She always kept her promises.

We celebrate an incredible, resilient woman and a life well-lived.