Flora Yvonne Knowles Castillo affectionately known as "Nana Flora" was born on August 7, 1931, to the late Edwin and Verlene Knowles in Key West, Florida. Flora attended Monroe County Public schools and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1948. Flora was reared in a Christian home and at early age accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior. She was a faithful and devoted member of Trinity Presbyterian Church throughout her lifetime and enjoyed attending church until her health began to decline. She sang in the church choir and also served on the church Usher Board.
Flora was employed as a shampoo girl at Donald's hair salon, an assistant baker at Busy Bee Bakery, an admissions clerk at the Key West Lighthouse, and a poll worker for the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Office.
On May 20, 1953, Flora was united in holy matrimony to Anthony Castillo Sr. This union was blessed with four sons Anthony Ambrose II, Michael Christopher, Edward Joaquin and Aaron Jose. Of paramount importance was Flora's duty as a mother to her four sons. She was an excellent homemaker and was world famous for her fabulous baked goods, lilly dillies, fried chicken and pork chops.
"Nana Flora", as the neighborhood children would call her, had one of the best mango trees in Key West. She was not stingy with her mangoes and enjoyed allowing the children to come in her yard and fill their buckets during the summers. Many often found themselves at her kitchen table enjoying a tasty banana fritter or a cold drink of fresh limeade made with the key limes from the tree in her yard. Flora also had a green thumb, she enjoyed working in her garden and caring for her many plants that she used in her home remedies, much like her mother and sisters before her.
Anthony Sr. and Flora were socialites, and they belonged to numerous social clubs and civil organizations in Key West. There was seldom a weekend that they did not have a function to attend. They enjoyed dressing up and going out as a couple all over town to numerous parties, balls, wakes and functions.
Flora was a member of the Bahama Village Political Action Committee, Myrna E. Sawyer Key of the Gulf #5 Order of the Eastern Star where she served as Ruth and the Silverettes Club. Flora was the last "Boss of Virginia Street" all of her neighbors loved and enjoyed watching her sit on her porch during the day enjoying a cool drink and waving to tourists and passerby's. Flora's life has been a beacon of strength for her family for decades.