Mitzi Plunk Gilmer

Mitzi Plunk Gilmer, 82, a resident of Oakmont at Gordon Park in Bristol, Virginia, and formerly of Kingsport, TN and Banner Elk, NC passed away on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at  Bristol Regional Medical Center.

Mitzi was born October 10^th, 1937 in Humboldt, Tennessee to the late Brodie Herman Plunk and Lerlyne Vestal Plunk Gowan. Her daughter Emily Rebecca Gilmer predeceased her. She is survived by her husband John C. Gilmer of Bristol Virginia and son John C. Gilmer Jr. of Palm Springs, CA and New York, NY.

Raised in Humboldt, Mitzi was known for her red hair and outgoing personality. She graduated in 1955 as Valedictorian from Humboldt High School, where she was a cheerleader, business manager of the school annual and newspaper, treasurer of her junior and senior class and was “Miss Flame” and  ”Miss Spark” during fire prevention weeks.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1959 from UT Knoxville as the first woman at UT to obtain a B.S. in Bacteriology and Chemistry. While there, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, Alpha Lambda Delta and Sigma Delta Pi scholarship societies.   Mitzi was an avid collector of 18th and19th century furniture, and for a time operated an antiques and handmade furniture business. Along with Nancy Holland, she founded Gilmer & Holland, providing assistance to elderly clients. She was active in the Junior League of Kingsport, the Kingsport Symphony, and was a member of the Delphinium Club, The Mr. & Mrs. Club, and the Roundtable Book Club.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, November 17, 2019 at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, Kingsport.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home following the service. A family graveside service will be held in Glenwood Cemetery in Bristol, TN.

The family suggests in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Mitzi and John Gilmer Youth Outreach Fund in care of: East Tennessee Foundation, 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902.