Beloved mother, grandmother, educator and friend, Toni Tripp Reimer, a nurse-researcher and longtime University of Iowa College of Nursing faculty member, died following a short illness on Dec. 13, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa, surrounded by her two devoted children and other loved ones.
Toni was born on Dec. 14, 1946, in Ames, Iowa, to Harriett (a nurse educator) and Bob Long. She was adopted through marriage by Charles Tripp (a pharmacist) in October 1950, and gained a brother, Todd, a year later.
Toni graduated from Perry High School. She received a B.S. in nursing from the University of Maryland (Walter Reed Medical Center) in 1969, after which she was a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps until 1972. After her military service, she returned to academia, earning an M.A. (1973) and Ph.D. (1977) in anthropology from the Ohio State University.
After receiving her Ph.D., Toni and her husband, Steven Reimer, moved to Iowa City, where she began her long and distinguished career as a nurse researcher at the University of Iowa College of Nursing. Toni served as an Area Chair, Director of the Office for Nursing Research Development and Utilization and Associate Dean for Research and, ultimately, Senior Advisor to the Dean of the College of Nursing.
Toni’s research career dealt with health care among various ethnic groups (Amish, Native American, African-American), ultimately focusing on health care for gerontological populations. This wide-ranging career brought with it many honors, including induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1987, State of Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence in 1996, the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing/MNRS Award for Leadership in Geriatric Nursing Research in 2002, the University of Iowa Hancher-Finkbine Medallion for Faculty Excellence in 2005 and the Midwest Nursing Research Society Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
In her later years, alongside research, Toni found her greatest happiness was spending time with her five beloved grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughter, Erika (Nathan) Derrick of Whittier, Iowa, and their children Jacob, Noah, Davis and Abigail; her son, Cortner (Liana) Reimer of Iowa City and their daughters, Hazel and Estlin; her brother, Todd (Wendy) Tripp of Michigan; treasured nephew, Spencer Tripp of Iowa City; beloved niece, Amy (Jennifer) Reimer; her former husband and best friend of 45 years, Steven Reimer of Iowa City; as well as other cherished family members.
Toni was preceded in death by her parents, Harriett and Charles Tripp; brothers, Jeffrey Reimer and Michael Reimer; and sisters, Suzette Reimer and Suzanne Reimer.
Toni was philanthropic, with a passion for education and research. In lieu of flowers and to honor her memory, donations may be made to Southern Poverty Law Center and the Iowa Donor Network.
A Memorial Celebration will be held in May/June 2022. Further details and online condolences at www.lensingfuneral.com.
