Floral Design is 'Ministry' for Frankie Newberg

Fragrances of roses, stock, lilies and carnations fill the nostrils when a person enters Sun Valley Florist on Main Street. Sunlight streams down via a skylight over a statue of a woman in the center of the store. Sometimes music is playing. An eclectic array of garden-themed gifts is dotted around and about. This is Frankie Newberg's work environment. She has been designing flowers for 43 years and feels it has become her "ministry." Our readers rewarded her by selecting her as the Ramona Patch Readers' Choice florist.

This week, Newberg is working hard preparing Mother's Day arrangements. When Patch visited the store, the phone was ringing constantly while she and an assistant cut flowers and selected greenery to tuck into bouquets. A stack of orders lay on the counter.

Patch wondered what Newberg will do for her own Mother's Day.

"I'll be open," she said. "People can come by after church or something to get last minute arrangements."

It doesn't mean she won't see family that day. Her son, Jacob Ketterer, has joined her in the business.

"Since my husband (Mark Newberg) passed away, Jacob delivers for me," she said.

Newberg has two sons, two daughters, two grandsons and another grandchild on the way. She raised her family in Ramona.

"I love this town and I love the people here too," she said.

Newberg was born and raised in San Diego but loves being up the hill.

"I like to try to support people and non-profits up here," she said. "It's like a ministry for me."

In the 1980s and '90s, Newberg worked for Sun Valley Florist and Ramona Florist. She also taught aerobics at Ramona Fitness. She then became a flight attendant for American Airlines in the '90s. But she always loved working with flowers.

"In my last job, I did all the floral arrangements for the weddings and conventions at Opryland Hotel in Nashville," she said. "I did designs for a lot of Country Music stars. I was there for 13 years."

Newberg said she has prepared flowers for Tammy Wynette, the Judds, Barbara Mandrell, Amy Grant, Minnie Pearl and Brooks and Dunn.

For Mother's Day in Ramona, she is going all out. Pink roses from Ecuador have arrived and are being assembled into bouquets.

"I buy from California, South America and locally," she said. "I also get orchids from Malaysia and Korea. I have to buy in large shipments if I buy from overseas, but it's worth it for Mother's Day."

The flowers are sent overnight in long boxes and kept in a cooler room prior to design.