Wimer

Jo Ann Wimer, retired university editor, died at Cayuga Medical Center Jan. 22 after a long bout with cancer. She was 66.

Wimer worked in Cornell's Office of Publications and Marketing (formerly the Office of Publication Services) from 1978 until her retirement in 2007. She served as an editor, managing editor and, ultimately, university editor, a position that was created for her in recognition of her high standards for editorial excellence and her encyclopedic knowledge of Cornell. She brought both qualities -- and a tenacity in correcting errors -- to everything she worked on, from short pamphlets to large, complex projects. Through her work and her example, Wimer ensured that every print piece from her office reflected favorably on the university, write her colleagues.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Wimer graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a B.S. in zoology. In the 1960s, she worked for the United Nations and the U.S. Foreign Service in Washington, Guatemala and New York City.

A native of Sheridan, Wyo., Wimer is survived by a large extended family, most of whom live in the western states, where memorial services will be held at a date to be announced.