Florence Pauline Cook was born December 26, 1906 in Hendricks County, Indiana, near North Salem, and grew up in Jamestown. She was the first child of Lydia Erie Storm Cook and Charles Hopkins Cook. Her mother was a seamstress, and taught her to sew when she was six years old. Florence moved to Indianapolis in her early teens. She attended Technical High School (now Arsenal Technical High School), graduating in 1925.

She joined Centenary Christian Church as a charter member in April 1924, where she met her future husband, Ralph John Katzenberger. They were married September 4, 1929. They had three children; a son, Ralph Harold, and two daughters, Carol Anne and Martha Jeannette. During her married life she was a homemaker, sewing clothes for herself and her daughters, canning lots of fruits and vegetables in the summer months, making jelly, and working hard to maintain a clean and attractive home for her family.

On October 3, 1944 she was initiated into Brookside Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, where she held the station of Ruth before beginning her journey to the East. In 1950 she was installed as Worthy Matron, serving with her brother, Harold Cook, as Worthy Patron. She remained active in her Chapter and church for many years, leading her decorating committees in assembling clever and beautiful artificial flowers, centerpieces and table decorations.

Widowed on August 18, 1957, she went to work at Railroadmen's Federal Savings and Loan Association as a loan clerk. She retired in December 1971. After retirement she devoted her time to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Never one to sit idle, she always was working on a project of some sort. She enjoyed and excelled at knitting, crocheting, sewing and making craft items. She began working on Christmas gifts for her family soon after the beginning of each new year. She also enjoyed traveling, and before her daughters were married, the three of them took several trips around the United States.

As a seamstress she could make practically anything - from children's clothing to prom dresses to men's jackets, including many Halloween costumes for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her knitting, crocheting and other forms of needlework have provided family and friends with sweaters, baby items, and other heirlooms. Every Christmas her family looked forward to her personal gifts of clothing, tree ornaments, wall hangings, or painted figures. Every Easter holiday for over fifteen years she made her famous "bunny cake" and in fact made the last (and maybe one of her best) bunny just a week before her death.

Through her close relationships with her grandsons she developed an interest in music and sports. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Chicago Cubs, Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers. She seldom missed a televised golf tournament. She had an extensive collection of VCR tapes of many of the old musicals, and watched them over and over, or listened to her many favorite CDs.