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Nana Seeley Gilmer
Boerne TX United States
Nana Seeley Gilmer, Born in Manila, Philippines on April 4, 1912, at the United States Regimental Hospital, Nana Seeley Gilmer was the eldest child and only daughter of Army Colonel Burton Alpheus Seeley and Minna Heise Seeley. Nana lived a long, full life dedicated to her family and her country. Born into a career Army family, she lived and traveled all over the country and the world.
Nana was married under crossed sabers at Fort McPherson, Georgia in 1935 to Dan Gilmer, who was on the staffs of both Generals Eisenhower and MacArthur during World War II and later commanded the 7th Cavalry Regiment (Garryowen) during the Korean War. Prior to her marriage, Nana attended Dominican University in San Rafael, Agnes Scott in Georgia and Iowa State during various moves with her military family. As a member of the Tri Delta Sorority, majoring in Home Economics, she would fondly tell the story of failing her homemaking class because her mashed potatoes were too lumpy and lacked the requisite amount of butter. Wherever her husband was stationed, Nana became an integral part of the Army community, regularly throwing coffees and hosting social gatherings for the wives in the area.
During her time as an Army daughter and wife she lived twice in the Philippines and also lived in Fort Bliss Texas, Fort Lewis Washington, Fort Benning and Fort MacArthur Georgia, Fort Missoula Montana, Presidio of San Francisco California, Fort Belvoir Virginia, Arlington and Fairfax Virginia, Fort Leavenworth Kansas, Fort Devens Massachusetts, Governor's Island New York, Quarry Heights Military Reservation in Panama as well as various other locations, while finally retiring out of Fort Devens, Massachusetts and settling in San Rafael, Marin County in the late 1960's. Nana also enjoyed traveling and toured Europe, China and the Far East on multiple occasions.
Nana is remembered by her loved ones as an indomitable spirit whose life is all but impossible to encapsulate. She lived on the front lines of the most tumultuous of times in world history and came out a woman with soaring patriotism and determined loved for her family. Nana never complained about the travails of her life as an Army wife and daughter, in fact, she reveled in the opportunities she had to travel, to meet people and to serve others. She was a very funny and beautiful woman with a penchant toward the dramatic, having appeared often in various theater productions as a young woman. She was a skilled cook, in spite of failing mashed potatoes, and enjoyed feeding all who came to her home in San Rafael. Nana was incredibly proud of her sons, both of whom served in the United States military and took every opportunity to tell people about the wonderful men they became. She loved her daughters-in-law, Diane and Terry as her own. She took every opportunity to impart a love of education, history, travel and adventure on to her grandchildren.
Nana is preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Colonel Dan Gilmer. She is survived by their two sons: Dr. David Gilmer (CPT, USNR Ret.) of Davis, California (Diane Fox Gilmer) and Colonel Michael Gilmer (USA Ret.) of Boerne, Texas (Terry Meagher Gilmer). She has four grandchildren: Commander David Gilmer, Jr. (USNR) of Mountain View, California, Sarah Gilmer Herr (Tony) of Santa Cruz, California, Sharlene Gilmer Anderson (Talon, CPT USA) of Fort Meade, Maryland and Daniel Swift Gilmer (Anna) of Saratoga Springs, Utah. Nana has ten great-grandchildren: Ben, Logan, Kate, Emma, Isaac, Trenton, Scarlett, Charlie, Seeley and Nico. Nana is buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery at Presidio near her sweetheart, Dan.
Published in the Marin Independent Journal (San Rafael, CA) on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
[Granddaughter of SGS # 2943 - Nana B.; Burton A.; Frank Taylor (# 2943);.Daniel Hawley (# 1212); Lewis; Isreal; Joseph; John; Nathaniel; Robert]
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