Beulah Lynn Balmer

1907 - 2017

BEULAH LYNN BALMER Chico native, Lynn Balmer, died on December 9th, 2017 at her home at Country Village in Chico. She was 110 years old. Beulah Evelyn "Lynn" Lemm was born on September 12th, 1907 to Ernest and Jessie (Faniani) Lemm, the oldest of nine children. She was born on her grandfather, John Faniani's, summer home near Lake Almanor in the same room where her mother, Jesse, was born. She was also the granddaughter of Christian and Louisa (Darge) Lemm, early Chico settlers. She attended Chico schools, graduating from Chico High School with Straight A's in 1924. In 1927, she graduated from Chico Teacher's College, now CSU Chico. She taught school in Susanville, Ca. for four years before going to the University of California at Berkeley. There she obtained a BA degree in Mathematics and a Secondary Teacher's Credential. She taught at Albany High School where she was head of the Mathematics Depart-ment while in the Bay Area. She became inte-rested in ice skating at the Berkeley Ice Arena, and qualified for the U.S. Figure Skating Associa-tion's Bronze Award in Ice Dancing. In 1943, she joined the "SPARS" women's division of the U.S. Coast Guard in WW2. She attained the rank of Lieutenant during her service. She was sent to Seattle, Washington where she met and married Charles Balmer. She taught Junior High School in Seattle and after retiring she researched, wrote and published books on the Lemm and Faniani families. Lynn was honored recently for being the oldest living graduate of the CSUC system and was also the oldest woman Veteran in the United States. Her record is in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. She spent her married life in Seattle where she continued teaching Junior High. In 1999, she and Charles moved to Chico where Charles died in 2001. Lynn was also preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Ernest Jr. and Melvin Lemm, both of Durham, three sisters, Lucille Hicks of Sacramento, Dorothy Raymond of Modesto and Ethelyn Tamagni of Gridley. She is survived by three sisters, Clair Hill of Chico, formerly of Santa Rosa, Jeanie Shaw of Red Bluff and Thea Parker of Gridley. Also numerous nieces and nephews in the area. At her request, no services were held. A small family Memorial will be held later.