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'Miss Hattie' was mom to generation

The longtime school cafeteria worker never missed a chance to be with kids.

By MARTY CLEAR
Published November 3, 2006

She had only three children of her own, but a whole generation of kids in Gibsonton considered Hattie Rimes their second mother.

"Everyone knew her. She loved being around people, especially the kids. Everyone in Gibsonton knew her. They all called her Miss Hattie or Aunt Hattie," said her son, Albert Rimes Jr.

Mrs. Rimes, who died of natural causes Oct. 24 at age 82, spent more than 30 years working in the cafeteria at Gibsonton Elementary School. The job allowed her to combine two of her passions: cooking and kids.

"After they served lunch, she'd go out and mingle with the kids," Rimes said. "If any of them wanted to talk about something, they'd go to my mom."

Mrs. Rimes was born in Bartow, where she met and married Albert Rimes Sr. They moved to Gibsonton, where her husband had family, in the 1940s.

They had three kids of their own, but that wasn't enough for Miss Hattie. She started working at Gibsonton Elementary as a teacher's aide about 1950 and soon transferred to the lunchroom.

"My father worked at the phosphate plant," Rimes said. "They didn't need the money. She just took the job to stay busy and to be around kids."

Through the years, she never tired of the work or the students.

"She loved her job," Rimes added. "When the weekend was over she just couldn't wait to get back there."

Even on her days off, she found ways to spend time with local youngsters. She loved going to Little League games and high school baseball games.

"I played baseball in high school in the 1960s, and we had an old Hudson Hornet," Rimes said. "I can remember that we'd get the whole team in that car, and she'd drive us to our games."

When Miss Hattie wasn't going to where the kids were, the kids went to Miss Hattie.

"It seemed like on the weekends all the kids ended up at our house, playing football or whatever. She was like a second mother to them," Rimes said.

Whether it was her own kids or the kids from the school or neighborhood, Mrs. Rimes had a knack for relating to them and knowing how to deal with their problems.

"She was great," Rimes said. "I remember one time I told her I was going to run away from home. She packed up all my clothes and sent me on my way. I think I got to the end of the driveway before I came back crying."

About five years ago, Mrs. Rimes suffered a stroke. She spent the rest of her life in a nursing home, paralyzed on the left side. But her husband and children, all of whom live in Riverview, visited her often. Until her health started to fade just a few weeks ago, she never lost her cheerfulness and optimism.

"She kept talking about when she was going to come home and cook for us again," Rimes said.

In addition to Albert Jr., Mrs. Rimes is survived by her son, Stephen; a daughter, Sheila; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

[Last modified November 2, 2006, 08:00:07]