passed away suddenly and peacefully on 14 Feb 2019 at Westminster-Canterbury on
Chesapeake Bay retirement center in Virginia Beach. She was 93 years old.
She was preceded in death by her mother Genevieve Bernard Pellerin, her father Paul
Pellerin and her brother Maurice Pellerin all of France. Also preceding her was her
beloved husband William Albert Nipper who passed in 1996.
Paulette was born on 27 September 1925 in Fontaines-sur-Saône, France, a small
village just north of Lyon. After surviving the Nazi occupation of WW II, Paulette made
her way across the English Channel landing in Southampton, England where she spent
several years as a member of the British Women's Land Army (WLA) working in the
countryside attending to the many tasks associated with farming, road maintenance and
other civil work projects. She formed a lifelong love affair with England and all things
British and with places like The New Forest where she spent much of her time.
After her discharge from the Land Army she moved to London where she worked as a
nanny and tutor. She met a former American G.I. from East Tennessee and married
William Albert Nipper in London on August 10 1950. Leaving that same year, she found
herself in the USA trying to understand the language and unique customs of the folks in
and around the Choto community of Knox County, Tennessee.
After several years of moving around from New York City, Washington D.C. and
Baltimore, MD. as the wife of an FBI Special Agent, she landed in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee spending many years raising a family and teaching at Saint Mary's Catholic
School in Oak Ridge as a French teacher. She was known as a master gardener,
expert chef, seamstress, artist, master swimmer, homemaker, loving wife and devoted
mother. She was an animal lover and was especially fond of the many cats she had in
her life and of one special Alpine goat named Smokey. She was a fan of all things
Royal and loved keeping up with the Queen and the Royal family. She was respectful of
her French ancestry but was most proud to be a naturalized American citizen, an
honorary member of the Daughters of the British Empire (DBE), of being a Navy Mom
and simply being called an American.
After her husband's retirement from the Oak Ridge School System, they moved to
Virginia Beach where they spent many good years together making new friends and
enjoying the beauty and serenity of the sea.
Left to cherish her precious memory are her sons; Paul Nipper and wife Diane of Oliver
Springs, TN, Senior Chief Philip Nipper, USN (ret.) of Oak Ridge, TN, and Taylor Nipper
of West Point, GA. Also surviving her are her grandchildren; Paige Nipper of
Brookhaven, GA, Kristen Komander and husband Johann of Fayetteville, AR, and Blake
Nipper of Alpharetta, GA.
According to her wishes, her body will be cremated and at a later date the family will
gently offer her ashes to the sea.
The family asks that any memorials be made to the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue
Squad by visiting vbvrs.org or by donating to the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad
Foundation, 740 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451.
The family would also like to thank the staff at Westminster-Canterbury and especially
her caretakers from the Hoy Center. As she would often remark, "there is no better
place to be". The family could not agree more.
Friends may offer condolences at www.kellumfuneralhome.com
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