Mary Whitmer
Mary B. Whitmer, 91, of Roanoke, Virginia, died September 7 after a brief illness.
Known for her bright smile, generosity and Southern cooking, Mary was a friend to all and never met a stranger. She was a world-class people watcher, quick to chat with anyone she met on a mall bench or while traveling. Her favorite vacation was to Alaska. And her favorite place to watch people was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with her feet in the ocean.
Mary, along with her husband, Leon, owned and ran Whitmer’s Restaurant and other businesses in Clifton Forge before moving to Frederick, Maryland, and Phillipsburg, New Jersey, where they managed restaurants and other businesses for 18 years.
In 1990 they returned to Virginia, settling in Roanoke where they continued working until their retirement. Mary was predeceased by Leon in 2006.
Mrs. Whitmer (née Bowyer) was an active member of the Shenandoah Baptist Church in Roanoke. She participated in Bible studies and volunteered at the nursery school, always delighted to be around children. In her later years, she kept the congregation and mission of the church close, even after moving to Friendship Assisted Living in 2020. She cherished every visitor from the church – just as she cherished her new friends, including staff, at Friendship, as well as keeping up with beloved friends from every stage of her life.
She led a vibrant and engaged life at Friendship, quick to support people in any way she could. Whether it was providing a much-needed ear, shoulder or prayer, Mrs. Whitmer was available. She also was a generous friend and benefactor to many. She helped fund and led a fundraising drive to restore and maintain Wesley Chapel Cemetery in Eagle Rock, where Bowyer family members are buried, a short distance from her homeplace. Mary often opened her checkbook or slipped “a little piece of money” into a jacket pocket or purse for those who needed a little boost.
In addition to people watching, her hobbies included gardening, reading, word searches and traveling. She was known for her canned tomatoes, green beans and apples, which she put up every year and shared with friends and family. Her flower gardens were show-worthy, and her hummingbirds never went hungry. But some of her greatest joys came from spending time with her grandbabies and dogs.
Leon and Mary were married in 1953 and moved to his hometown of Clifton Forge, where they owned and operated Whitmer’s Restaurant from 1958-1972. The restaurant was a gathering place for different generations in town, whether the draw was the home-cooked meals or dances upstairs that would attract teenagers and young adults.
Mrs. Whitmer was a self-taught cook and restaurant operator most of her career. She was as comfortable feeding hundreds of workers at Baker Chemical in Phillipsburg as preparing holiday meals for her family.
Born in Eagle Rock, Virginia, on May 12, 1933, Mrs. Whitmer was the second of Willard Bowyer and Minnie Blanche Dollman’s six children. She was the valedictorian of her 1950 graduating class of Eagle Rock High School.
She is survived by her daughter Dr. Andrea Kaye Hixon and her husband, Charles of Polk City, Florida; her son, Kevin Whitmer, and his wife, Regina of Plainfield, New Jersey; grandchildren Carly Whitmer and her fiance, Dr. Nate Bachtel of Hamden, Connecticut; Olivia Whitmer of Plainfield, New Jersey; and Griffin Whitmer of Plainsboro, New Jersey; niece, Patricia Puglisi, and her husband, Wayne, and their children Samantha and Sarah; her nephew, David Whitmer of Proctorville, Ohio; her sisters Annie Sink of Clifton Forge, and Elsie West, and her husband, Gibby, of Clifton Forge; and her sister-in-law, Florence Bowyer of Daleville.
The family is especially grateful to Judy Moore of Roanoke, Mrs. Whitmer’s former neighbor and dear friend who was a lifeline, especially after Mary moved to assisted living.
In addition to Leon, Mrs. Whitmer was predeceased by her daughter Kathy Lynn Coldewey, her sisters Betty Bradberry and Minnie Bryant, and her brother, Roy Bowyer.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, 2 p.m. at Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, with funeral services to follow at 3 p.m. Private entombment will be in the Mountain View Mausoleum, Clifton Forge.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
