Joan D. Gilmer

Joan Doris (Vanik) Gilmer of Inverness, FL, was taken up in Glory to Heaven on August 4th, 2024, at 9:27am. She was 90 years old.

Joan graduated from Queens College of The City University of New York in 1954 as an RN and worked at Queens General Hospital. Joan continued as an RN at Kings Park Psychiatric Center. After getting married and starting a family. Joan became a charge nurse at Saint Johnlands Nursing home where she worked for decades. Joan also was a charge nurse at The Arbors of Hop Brook in Manchester, CT, at Heritage of Beverly Hills FL and Charles River Hospital MA until her retirement in 1995.

Joan was an avid horticulturalist with near professional knowledge of botany and agriculture that she learned from her Dad on the estate. Joan had many gardens around the house to include rose bushes that surround the split rail fence. Also a small greenhouse she used all year round. 

In retirement, Joan continued with her hobby and started a vegetable garden, learned how to quilt, and made many quilts over the years. Things only her boys would know is "should have made gravy" "40 year plan" and "monkey". 

Joan was a faithful Catholic all her life. She was a parishioner at St. Mary's of East Islip, St. Josephs of Kings Park, Our Lady of Fatima of Inverness and Queen of Peace of Ocala with Elizabeth Ann Seton of Citrus Springs in her last year.

Joan married William Gerard Gilmer rip (Korea 625) on August 3, 1957, at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, East Islip, NY. They both were very much in love. Then, they raised a family in Kings Park, NY. 

She was the beloved grandmother of Desmond, Mollie, Zackary, Andrew, Gabriel, Ryan and Sophia; a Great Grandmother to Declan, Caden and Vanessa; and a loving Dogparent to Susie, Rinnie, Bandit, Brandy, Tina, Bailey, Pine, Dixie, Tina II, and Tipsy. 

A Viewing will be held on Tuesday the 13th from 6pm to 8pm with the Wake service at 7pm, at Heinz Funeral Home in Inverness.

Arrangements by Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness, FL. www.heinzfh.com