Florence was born to Tobias and Mary Schantz on December 28, 1879 in Conestogo, Waterloo County and raised alongside her seven siblings; Orpheus Moyer Schantz, Etta Lydia Mary Schantz, Sophie Emma Schantz, Austin Tobias Schantz, Franklin Abram Schantz, Arthur Benjamin Schantz, and Herbert Cecil Palmer Schantz.

In 1887 she moved with her family to Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario and attended Central School.

In 1907 Florence moved southwest of Didsbury, Alberta to keep house for her brother Arthur. Between 1910-1911, she kept house for her brother Austin who also lived southwest of Didsbury, Alberta. Sometime in 1911 Florence moved back to Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario.

During the 1920s, Florence’s sister Sophie worked for Woolworth's Five, Ten & Fifteen Cent store. Sophie helped Florence acquire a job in the store where she worked.

Florence liked to collect Victorian ephemera and postcards. In addition, she diligently recorded Schantz Russell family history in ledger books, created scrapbooks, poetry, and preserved her decoupage cutouts, clippings, schoolbooks and music.

Florence died of breast cancer on March 11,1938 at the age of 58.