OBITUARY
Sue H. Kirmse passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Wednesday May 25th, 2016 at the Haven Hospice Care Center in Gainesville, Florida. Sue was born December 22, 1930 in Danville, Virginia to Eugene Ranford and Estelle Adelbert (Scott) Highfield.
Sue grew up in Charlottesville and Martinsville, Virginia and graduated from Lane High School in 1948. She attended Longwood College in Farmville, Virginia, graduated from the University of Virginia Hospital School of Nursing in 1952 and became a Registered Nurse.
Sue married John Mervin Herr Jr. on August 30, 1952. They settled in Columbia, South Carolina where their first daughter Susan Rebecca Herr was born. The family spent a year in India in 1957 and returned to Columbia, South Carolina where Rachel Lynn Herr was born. While in Columbia Sue worked for a welcome wagon agency as well as both a Registered Nurse and real estate agent.
In 1975 Sue moved to Gainesville, Florida to work at the North Central Florida Community Mental Health Center as a psychiatric nurse. She married Dale William Kirmse on July 21, 1979 and became the beloved step-mother to Dale’s four children.
In 1980, Sue left nursing and began work full time as a real estate agent for Watson Reality. Sue received her Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) in 1982, obtained her Brokers license in 1984 and was named Top Sales Associate for 1987. In 1989, Sue joined Coldwell Banker/M.M. Parrish & Associates. She was active in the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and the Alachua County Association of Realtors. Sue was named to the Florida Association of Realtors Honor Society and she was president of the the Women’s Council of Realtors, in 1994.
Sue was a long time member of Trinity United Methodist Church and was an active member of the Gator City Kiwanis Club. She was the president of the Engineering Wives Club and first vice president of the University Women’s Club. Sue loved family, entertaining, gourmet cooking and travel. During the last few years of her life, Sue lived in The Village at Gainesville and more recently in The Atrium at Gainesville.
Sue was preceded in death by her parents and son-in-law Keith Russ. She will be dearly missed by her husband, Dale Kirmse, daughter Becki Fallen (John) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, daughter Rachel Leach (Mike) of Lighthouse Pt, Florida, and step-children Kevin Kirmse of Houston, Texas, Katherine Kirmse and Kristina Kirmse (Mike Ronco) of Gainesville, Karen Kirmse (Andy Ralston) of Richardson, Texas. She also leaves eight grandchildren, Justin Reich and Erik Fallen of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Mason Reich of New York City, New York, Noah Leach of Lighthouse Point, Florida, Richard Ralston of Salt Lake City, Utah, Patrick Ralston and Erika Ralston of Richardson, Texas, and Jessica Russ of Gainesville. Also, several cousins and many dear friends.
A Memorial Service/Celebration of Life for Sue will be held at 2 PM Saturday August 13, 2016 in the Chapel of Trinity United Methodist, 4000 NW 53rd Ave, Gainesville, Florida 32653. The service will be followed by a reception in the church atrium.