Obituary of Myrna Jean Gemmer

Myrna Jean Gemmer passed away May 16, 2017, at Westminster Palms in St. Petersburg.

Myrna was born February 12, 1922, on her family’s farm at Jewell, Ohio, to Sam and Lillian Flory. In 1949, she married Rev. H. Robert Gemmer. The couple shared lifelong commitments to peace and social justice, and traveled around the world with that message. 

In the 1950s, Myrna was a pastor’s wife and continued their team effort when Bob transitioned into ecumenical work for social justice and civil rights.  Myrna and Bob went to the 1963 March on Washington, and Myrna returned to D.C. for the 30th Anniversary march. They moved to St. Petersburg in 1967 where they joined Lakeview Presbyterian Church, a family important to her the remainder of her life.

On a trip to Kenya in the mid 1970s, they were inspired by one of the first Habitat for Humanity projects and helped initiate the first U.S. Habitat project. Bob served on the Habitat board and they were privileged to enjoy the fellowship of Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter. 

Myrna is survived by her son, David Gemmer and his wife, Marsha, her son in law Larry McCutchan and grandsons Eric (wife Katherine and great-granddaughter Kimberly) and Andrew (wife Jessica) McCutchan, Marsha’s daughters Kathryn Hardy and Jenna Talcott (and her sons, Cameron and Drew), nieces Carol Jean Fabian and Marlene Flory, and nephew David Flory. Spouses of the family members and many others fill out her extended family. Her husband, Bob, passed away in 1992, and her daughter, Jeannie McCutchan, died in 2012. 

Myrna shared generously all that she had to share with family, friends, and to support peace and social justice issues. The family is most grateful to the caregivers who made Myrna’s final years as rewarding and comfortable as possible.

Services will be held at Anderson McQueen Funeral Home 2201 Dr. ML King St. N on Sunday, May 20^th 3pm and Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she will be interred alongside Bob and Jeannie. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Lakeview Presbyterian Church’s Operation Attack or Habitat for Humanity.