Valeria Rimer

Valeria "Betty" Rimer (nee Moser), 89, of O'Fallon, IL, formerly of Dover, died Sunday, September 12, 2010 at Cedar Ridge Health Care Center in Lebanon, IL.

Born July 9, 1921, in Dover, she was a daughter of the late Carl and Valeria (nee, Werner) Moser, who owned the former Union Dairy. Betty graduated from Dover High School in 1939. She played clarinet starting in the second grade through high school, and was a member of the Dover High School Band. Betty was a charter member of the Tri-Hi-Y when it was organized at the Dover YMCA.

Following graduation, Betty attended Kent State University for two years, then trained as a medical technologist at Huron Road Hospital in Cleveland for four years, during which time she started the blood bank and derived a method for obtaining plasma for blood transfusions. She was employed, on loan, at Metropolitan General Hospital (formerly Cleveland City Hospital) to create their blood bank and teach her method of obtaining plasma. Betty then worked with Dr. Sankey, head of the Anesthesiology Department at Lakeside Hospital, to find the correct amount of Heparin patients could tolerate to prevent blood clots during surgery. This was a forerunner of Coumadin, now used as a blood thinner. Following her marriage to Albert D. Rimer on September 26, 1945, she went to work for Dr. Leo Walzer, cardiologist, and Dr. Joe Goodman, who specialized in treating diabetes, as a lab technician for four years before going part-time in order to rear her children and be a homemaker. Betty enjoyed hand-painting china, knitting, crocheting, making quilts and playing bridge.

Survivors include two daughters, Susan E. (Bill) Hedgecough of O'Fallon, IL, formerly of Cleveland; Sally Rimer of Lebanon, IL, formerly of New Philadelphia and Dover; two granddaughters, Stacey L. (Duane) Jones of Marissa, IL, and Amy E. (Seann) McKenna of San Antonio, TX; five great-grand children, Aeriana and Julianne Hedgecough, Gracie Jones, Mallory and Seann McKenna; a sister, Joanne Van Alstyne of Dover; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Albert, on October 2, 1999; a sister; Verna Mae Vierheller; and a brother, Karl Moser.

A committal service will be held Friday, September 24, at 11 a.m., in the Veterans Section of Ridgecrest Memory Gardens, Dover, where she will be laid to rest beside Albert. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Betty, please visit the Toland-Herzig website and click on "Obituaries."

The family suggests that contributions honoring Betty be made to St. Clair Associated Vocational Enterprises (S.A.V.E.), 3001 Save Rd., Belleville, IL. 62221.

Toland-Herzig, Dover
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com