Nancy C. Wimmer

Nancy Carolyn Kendall Wimmer, age 79 of Oakdale, died June 8th, 2009 at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge. Proceeded in death by her granddaughter, Mary Lee Rodgers. Survivors are: Husband William O. Wimmer of Oakdale, Children; William Kendall Wimmer of Oakdale, Paula Rodgers and husband Mark of Cookeville, Robert Peyton Wimmer and wife Karen of Austin, TX, Edward Garris Wimmer of Nashville, Charles Alexander Wimmer and wife Sarah of Maryville, Sisters; Julia V. Russell of Atlantic Beach, FL, Hannah Barringer of Florence, SC, Grandchildren; Seanne and Alex Rodgers, Milo, Lucy and Wendy Carolyn Wimmer and Madeline and Jacob Wimmer. Born in Florence South Carolina, the baby in a family of five children, Nancy was full of life and brought life to all she did, running with friends, summers at the beach, writing for the school paper and playing basketball. After high school Nancy attended Winthrop College in Rock Hill SC to major in journalism. Making lifelong friends there she moved with a small group after graduation to Kingsport, TN were she landed a job with the Kingsport Times. Writing obits couldn’t hold her and she moved on to take a job with TN Eastman where she met a junior chemist, Bill Wimmer. And her next chapter began. Moving to Harriman in 1957 with husband and 3 (to be 5) small children She quickly embraced Harriman as her home, working tirelessly to build a stronger and more dynamic community. “My job is to be active in the community relative to anything it is involved in” she once said. Nancy was instrumental in creating the Roane Civic Music Series bringing the world to our doorstep. And as music was a passion she helped to bring forth and maintain the Roane Choral Society, often directed the church children’s choir, and was an avid supporter of the school band as band mom, band aid and worked the concession stand at the home games. She remained committed to the Harriman School system and in 1982 began working as Continuing Education and Alumni Association Director. She made lifetime learning available to the community, ‘ you can never quit learning’ she believed. She was known by many as a quite driving force behind Hooray for Harriman and a subsequent community wide renovation. Recognizing the historic and architectural merits of Harriman she worked to document and designate as a Historic District the Cornstalk Heights section of town and made Harriman a ‘Main Street USA ‘community. Always keeping her pen handy she was ever ready to contribute as a writer and editor to the Harriman Record, the Roane County News and co-founded the Harriman News and Views. She loved her family, her faith, her garden and her community. Nancy Wimmer is forever interwoven in the fabric of the Roane County area. Many clubs, programs and organization now taken for granted were the result of her guiding hand. Though many will miss her, her presence will continue to be felt by all. In lieu of flowers the family ask that in her honor you plant a flower or plant the seeds of learning by supporting Imagination Library. imaginationlibrary.com Memorial service 12 noon Saturday June 13, 2009 at Kingston United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11:30 AM Saturday at the church.

Nancy C. Wimmer

July 8, 1929 - June 8, 2009