Nell Sims Melzer

Nell Sims Melzer, 93, of Marianna passed away at her home in Jackson County, Florida, on Sunday, June 19, 2016.

Mrs. Melzer is preceded in death by her husband, George Warren Melzer, Sr., her brothers, John C. Sims, James Sims, Paul Sims, and June Sims, her sister Eva Wilson Edenfield, and her parents, James Fillmore Sims and Eva Simmons Sims.

Mrs. Melzer is survived by her five children and their spouses, Gayle and Butch Higley of Marianna, Florida, Warren and Cindy Melzer of Tallahassee, Florida, James and Connie Melzer of Sneads, Florida, Molly and Dane Bolden of Houma, Louisiana, and Amy and Mike Huff of San Diego, California. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren and their spouses, Krista and Antonio Sandoval, Clint and Mara Higley, Mary Nell and Rob Summey, Maggie and Matt Smith, Jamie and Arrion Melzer, Daniel and Holly Melzer, Ashley Melzer, Zachery Bolden, Lucas Bolden, Lindsey Bolden, and Jackie and Justin Badal. In addition, she is survived by eleven great-grandchildren, Isabelle Sandoval, Hannah Catherine Sandoval, Elijah Barrow, Gray Smith, Garrison Melzer, Ryne Melzer, Bailey Melzer, Will Melzer, Jaxson Bolden, HaiLee Woods, and Jayce Bolden. Her beloved sister, Agnes Sims Pittman of Tallahassee, Florida, also survives Mrs. Melzer.

Mrs. Melzer was born July 30, 1922, in Jackson County, Florida. She attended school in Marianna and graduated from Marianna High School. She graduated from Florida State College for Women in 1944. Her college attendance was interrupted while she returned to Jackson County during World War II's teacher shortage to teach a year at the public school in Altha, Florida. After college, she taught in Jackson County until 1966, when she returned to Florida State University for a year and earned her Master's Degree in Education.
In the 1970's and 80's and until her retirement, Mrs. Melzer helped lead Florida's expansion of services for persons with developmental disabilities. Beginning at the Sunland Center in Marianna, Nell led that facility's efforts to give opportunities to the people served there in living their lives more like the rest of us. She helped create school activities to teach people how to do everyday things for themselves such as finding jobs, shopping, and caring for themselves and their homes.

She was then recruited to Tallahassee to work in the state office helping other programs develop similar services. While there, she was asked to develop a set of standards for programs throughout the state to ensure that everyone got the services to which they were entitled. That led to establishing survey teams to go to the programs receiving state funds to ensure that the money was being used to get the best services. During this time the federal government also got involved in funding and standard setting, and Nell led Florida's effort to help all the state centers and many private residential facilities comply with the new guidelines.

There was also a national move during her time in Tallahassee to transition services for persons with disabilities from large institutions to group homes and smaller residential settings. This eventually led to her being called upon to lead the Sunland Center at Tallahassee in its downsizing and finally to its successful closure. This was the first such effort in Florida, and it became a model for these transitions in Florida and other states.

In all of the different positions she held with the state, Mrs. Melzer never invoked rank or title. Those who worked with her often just referred to her affectionately as "The Head" because she led through the strength of her intellect and integrity. She was a leader by example, and people who worked with her followed her not because of her title but because of what she knew, because of her commitment to those she served, and because of her habit of making good decisions. She was a leader because she knew who she was, she knew what she believed in, and she was never confused about what was right.
Mrs. Melzer had a tremendous impact on Florida's services to persons with disabilities during a time of great change. Many individuals and their families have benefitted from her work. She served with an understanding that each person deserves our best effort and that is what they got from her every day.
Mrs. Melzer received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior when she was eight years old, and remembered well her walk down the aisle of the First Baptist Church in Marianna. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Marianna until 1953 when she moved to Sneads. There she was a member of the First Baptist Church of Chattahoochee, and later, the First Baptist Church of Sneads. When she retired and returned to live in Marianna, she transferred her membership home to the First Baptist Church there. She served as a Sunday School teacher for many years, and that service was one of the greatest joys in her life. In her final years she was unable to attend church, but faithfully studied her Bible, and prayed for her beloved family and friends, church leaders, and the leaders of our country.

Funeral services will be at 10 AM Friday, June 24, 2016, at the First Baptist Church in Marianna with the Dr. Michael Petty & Dr. Mark Long officiating. Visitation will precede the service, and will begin at 9:00 AM. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Marianna with James & Sikes Funeral Home Maddox Chapel directing.