Mary Ann (Flagg) Himmer

HOLDEN/WEST BOYLSTON – Mary Ann (Flagg) Himmer, 71, of Old Salisbury St., died peacefully at home in the presence of her loving family on Wednesday, December 26, 2012, after a brief illness. Born in Worcester on May 29, 1941, Mary Ann was the daughter of Maro and Ruth (Potter) Flagg and was a graduate of Wachusett Regional High School in Holden.

Mary Ann was one of nine children raised in their parent’s funeral home, Flagg Funeral Home and Ambulance Service in West Boylston, where she learned at an early age the meaning and value of working together in a family business. Prior to her marriage, Mary Ann participated in competitive diving and won the Women’s New England Diving Championship in 1957. On September 15, 1957, she married the love of her life, Robert L. Himmer of Sterling, and together they raised four children and later ventured to own and operate several successful businesses.

In 1960, Mary Ann and Bob started Himmer Limousine and Taxi Service in West Boylston and in 1965 purchased their first ambulance, a 1957 Cadillac, and established Himmer Ambulance Service out of their home on Bunker Hill Parkway. With a tenacious and entrepreneurial spirit, they expanded their ambulance service to Holden and subsequently operated another ambulance service in Worcester under the name of Worcester Ambulance Service. In 19¬¬72, they merged their two ambulance operations and became Worcester Himmer Ambulance. In 1980, with over 15 ambulances and numerous wheelchair vans to their credit, Mary Ann and Bob sold their ambulance service which had become Worcester County’s largest ambulance service provider.

After enjoying several years of their much-anticipated retirement in Melbourne, Florida, Mary Ann and Bob once again got the entrepreneurial bug, and in 1988 opened Nation Wide Wheelchair Company in Melbourne, providing a variety of wheelchairs, mechanical lifts and accessories. After selling their business in 2010, they officially declared their retirement and moved back to Massachusetts, residing in Holden.

Mary Ann had many passions in her life, first and foremost was caring for her husband, children and grandchildren, followed by her genuine concern and determination to provide and deliver the highest standards of care to her patients. Her family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Jewish Healthcare Hospice in Worcester for the care and compassion they provided throughout the last several weeks of Mary Ann’s life.

She is survived and will be lovingly missed by her devoted husband of 55 years, Robert L. Himmer; four children, Robert “Rocky” P. Himmer and his wife Dottie of Holden, Pamela M.Himmer-Dolan and her husband Robert of Paxton, Scott Himmer of Bethlehem, NH, and Jason Himmer of Palm Bay, FL; three brothers, James Flagg of Sterling, Maro Flagg, Jr. of Sutton and Arthur Flagg of West Boylston; five sisters, Jane Houghton, Sandra Carroll, Betty Mitchell, Marilyn Ethier and Christine Wickstrom, all of West Boylston; five grandchildren, Michael, Carrie, Shannon, Kristi and Joshua; a great-granddaughter, Makayla; and many nephews and nieces.

Relatives and friends are invited to remember and honor Mary Ann’s life by attending calling hours from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, December 28, at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden, and again on Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Mt. Vernon Cemetery in West Boylston. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to JHC Hospice, 629 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.milesfuneralhome.com