Carol Jean "Cj" Rimar
January 3, 1941 — February 22, 2024
Carol Jean (“CJ”) Rimar, nee Mullenix, humble beginnings started in Wabash, Indiana, on January 3rd, 1941. Her sense of family began as a teenager – having to help an ailing father and assisting with the child rearing of her niece and nephews. Balancing family and school, CJ lettered in high school band and set herself up for college. Her passion for the outdoors and travel truly st...
Carol Jean (“CJ”) Rimar, nee Mullenix, humble beginnings started in Wabash, Indiana, on January 3rd, 1941. Her sense of family began as a teenager – having to help an ailing father and assisting with the child rearing of her niece and nephews. Balancing family and school, CJ lettered in high school band and set herself up for college. Her passion for the outdoors and travel truly started at San Angelo College in Texas. It was there CJ met her future husband, then Airman Rolland Rimar.
CJ and Rolland travelled extensively, sharing U.S. Air Force postings in Texas, Virginia, Florida, Alaska, and New Mexico. But it was in 1962, while in San Angelo, that CJ started her own family with the birth of her oldest child Peter. Six years later, Andrew joined the family. These additions did not deter her passion for travel – passing along the wanderlust to her children as they travelled far and wide. Even after Rolland retired from the Air Force in 1984 and they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, the travelling continued. She travelled to Panama with Rolland, and visited her sons abroad in places like South Korea, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
It was also over the years, that CJ expanded her family via adopting sons and daughters along her life’s journey – both children and adults alike and demonstrating family in not defined strictly by blood. This was abundantly clear in her final days as p...
Carol Jean (“CJ”) Rimar, nee Mullenix, humble beginnings started in Wabash, Indiana, on January 3rd, 1941. Her sense of family began as a teenager – having to help an ailing father and assisting with the child rearing of her niece and nephews. Balancing family and school, CJ lettered in high school band and set herself up for college. Her passion for the outdoors and travel truly started at San Angelo College in Texas. It was there CJ met her future husband, then Airman Rolland Rimar.
CJ and Rolland travelled extensively, sharing U.S. Air Force postings in Texas, Virginia, Florida, Alaska, and New Mexico. But it was in 1962, while in San Angelo, that CJ started her own family with the birth of her oldest child Peter. Six years later, Andrew joined the family. These additions did not deter her passion for travel – passing along the wanderlust to her children as they travelled far and wide. Even after Rolland retired from the Air Force in 1984 and they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, the travelling continued. She travelled to Panama with Rolland, and visited her sons abroad in places like South Korea, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
It was also over the years, that CJ expanded her family via adopting sons and daughters along her life’s journey – both children and adults alike and demonstrating family in not defined strictly by blood. This was abundantly clear in her final days as people flooded into her hospital room by foot or by phone. CJ knew she was loved as those she touched articulated how much she meant to them. As she began to lose her ability to speak, CJ let people know it was time to let her go… that her final chapter was coming to a close. On February 22nd, 2024, CJ’s journey ended in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
CJ lived life on her terms up into the very end. Those that she touched and shaped will continue to carry her memory into the future. And for those many individuals, she will be missed. CJ's viewing will be held at Getz Funeral Home on Thursday February 29th from 5-8pm. Her last travel will be to the Santa Fe National Cemetery – being laid to rest with Rolland on March 7th, 2024, at 1:30pm.
CJ Rimar is survived by Peter and his family, daughter-in-law Koh and grandson Aaron and his wife Kaylene; and Andrew and his family, daughter-in-law Jutta and grandchildren Daniel and Lucas.
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