Our mother, grandmother, great grandmother and best friend, Frances Neimyer Dorman, passed away on Monday, January 13, 2025.
Frances was born on March 30, 1927 in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was 97 years old. Frances was the daughter of Virginia Starbuck Neimyer and Walter Maring. She graduated from St. Petersburg High School and also received a degree in Art and Business from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She was a commercial artist and part owner of Pinellas Machine Company in St. Petersburg, Florida.
She grew up in old Florida when you could still find valuable shells and artifacts on the beaches. She enjoyed the rivers and springs of Florida. Her stepfather built a cabin on stilts in the swamps of Chassahowitzka River that could only be reached by boat. She and her family enjoyed the cabin for more than 30 years until it was destroyed by a hurricane.
Frances has always loved antiques and collectables and soon after moving to Hayesville in 1977, she opened Franjon Antiques with her mother Virginia and husband, John. She later opened Walnut Acres Country Store with her daughter Kathy. After retiring from owning a business, she continued to be involved in numerous antique malls in the area. She had an artistic flare her whole life and pursued it with fervor when she moved to a home on the Hiawassee River.
Frances was proud of her heritage and being a decedent of the New England whaling community. Her fourteenth great grandfather and two other English settlers bought Nantucket from the Indians in 1659. Her twelfth great grandmother Mary Starbuck was the first white child to be born on the island of Nantucket.
She was deeply loved and will be missed by her son, Richard Gilmore, daughter, Kathy Landis (Tom); granddaughters, Shelly Garren (Matt), Katy Russo (Tim); grandson, Zach Dorman and his mother, Carol Dorman; three great grandsons, George, Henry and Parker.
Her Celebration of Life service will be held at 11am on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at Hayesville Presbyterian Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hayesville Presbyterian Church, PO Box 646, Hayesville, NC 28904.
Townson-Rose Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
You may send tributes to the family at
www.townson-rose.com
Ben Herbert Ashe 
