Elaine, beloved mother of Brian, Stephen & Michael Wimberly, died Sunday morning 9/1/2019 surrounded by loving family in Rome, GA where she had recently relocated to live with her sister and brother-in-law following a slow decline in health. Elaine, means "sun ray or shining light" and she was a shining light for her family and friends. Elaine had a phenomenal and sharp sense of humor that continually delighted everyone. She and her two sisters were the “Three Sisters”, matriarchs of the family. Their hoots of laughter were often mimicked by one of Elaine’s nephews.
Elaine was born in St Louis during WWII to Lois Elaine [Thomas] Wright and James Baxter Wright while her father was absent fighting the war. By the age of 9, her family settled in Macon, GA where she finished elementary & high school, graduating from Miller High School for Girls in 1962 where her intellectual accomplishments were first recognized. Elaine was active in Vineville Avenue Methodist Church during her time in Macon and cherished her memories of VMC and Allen Sanders, the minister, to the end of her life.
Elaine married relatively young and graduated with a double major Summa Cum Laude [GPA 4.0 French/Psychology] from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA. and ultimately attained accounting credentials and worked various jobs as an accountant, including an internationally known accounting firm.
Of all her accomplishments, Elaine was most proud of her three sons: Brian Wimberly PhD [Colorado]; Stephen Wimberly [Atlanta]; Michael Wimberly of [Decatur]. She gave birth to the older two while in college. She raised her three sons single-handedly: often commuted two hours daily to work in Atlanta; attended night school for additional accounting education; assured a secure and loving home for the boys until each went to college.
Elaine cultivated several close friendships with special friends in Atlanta - Carole Light PhD, an honorary “sister’; Susan Stone [wife of Herb Stone PhD], Lorilee Medders PhD and Jayanthi Parachuru.
She was a loving sister to Marge [Wright] Biggs [Andy], Canton, and Anne [Wright] White MD [Emory], Rome. She was known affectionately and with a “wink” as “Dear Sweet Auntie Elaine” to her five nieces & nephews, great nieces & great nephew. Elaine was beloved & spoiled by both her brothers-in-law.
Elaine dabbled in ceramics, throwing & firing her own pottery; crocheted lovely afghans; provided her boys with homemade bread for years; organically gardened in her younger years; voraciously read anything she could get her hands on; had a photographic memory and was a veritable fount of information. She could hold her own in conversations with Nobel laureates [long story].
One of Elaine’s many accomplishments was the ability to produce museum quality needlework, most of which are reproductions of historic samplers, some dating back to the 1700s. These will be lovingly retained in the family in perpetuity.
Elaine ultimately combined her computer knowledge and her love of beauty into a popular Facebook page with nearly 5,000 Facebook friends. Elaine felt close to many of her Facebook friends even though she had not met them. She posted almost daily choosing lovely and interesting topics that did nothing else than bring beauty to people’s lives as she surely did to her family. Elaine never lost her sense of humor and her positive outlook even after all she had been through in life. She has rarely acknowledged anything negative. Even in the face of death she maintained the ability to brighten any room. Within two hours of posting news of her death, multilingual consolations were pouring in and her family has found great comfort in this. Elaine left this world a better place. Go with God.
Elaine was an armchair traveler, experiencing the world from the comfort of her own living room and truly felt that all the people of the world are beautiful.
A memorial is planned for October 20 in Rome, GA at her sister’s home. At this time, a “Living Urn” will be planted [www.thelivingurn.com]. If you are led to do so, donations to the American Lung Association [www.lung.org] in memory of Elaine Wimberly would be welcome in lieu of flowers.
