Rose Zimmerman Post

Rose Hannah Zimmerman Post, 85, died Thursday, October 20, 2011 at Carillon Assisted Living in Salisbury. Born October 2, 1926 in Morganton, NC, she was daughter of the late Anna Pliskin Zimmerman and Sam Zimmerman. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Edward Martin Post. Survivors include five children; David Post of Salisbury, NC, Phyllis Post (Sam Lebowitz) of Salisbury, Sam Post (Alicia) of Salisbury, Jon Post (Libby) of Salisbury, and Susie Post-Rust (Adam Rust) of Durham; 13 grandchildren, including Ari, Annie, and Sasha Post of Fairfax, VA, Hannah and Alan Lebowitz of Salisbury, Sarah Post of Fairbanks, AK, Aaron and Emma Post of Salisbury, Jacob, Abraham, and Simon Post of Salisbury, and John and Rosie Rust of Durham, NC. Mrs. Post is survived by her brother, Leon Zimmerman of Salisbury, and his wife, Phyllis. Mrs. Post was a newspaper reporter and columnist who loved reading, writing, traveling, listening, talking, and cooking. She kept a vibrant, magnetic home and unofficially adopted many youngsters over the years. A daughter of immigrants, she hosted three year-long foreign exchange students; Tapi Hayrinen, originally of Kuopio, Finland and now of Hilton Head, SC, Fiona Fedler Post, originally of Johannesburg, South Africa and now of Fairfax, VA, and Fanny Yoer Gamble, originally of Tel Aviv, Israel, and now of San Rafael, CA. Mrs. Post moved to Salisbury, N.C. in 1939 and graduated from Boyden High School in 1944. She graduated magna cum laude in 1948 from the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina (now UNCG), with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in history. She was editor of the college newspaper and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She worked for The Salisbury Post for 56 years as a reporter, feature writer and columnist. She won numerous state and national awards for her exemplary writing and earned the N.C. Press Women's top annual award four times. She received the O. Henry Award from the Associated Press three times, the Pete Ivey Award and the School Bell Award for educational coverage. Nationally, she won the 1989 Ernie Pyle Award, the Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award for human-interest writing and the 1994 National Society of Newspaper Columnists' Award. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Catawba College in 1981. She was inducted into the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame in 1996. The UNC School of Journalism has two offices named in her honor, and the North Carolina Writer’s Network holds The Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Competition each year. She received the UNCG Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2003 and the Salisbury-Rowan Ministerial Association’s Community Spirit Award in 2004. As a child, Mrs. Post lived above her parents’ store in downtown Salisbury. Her husband and brother continued to operate Zimmerman’s Department Store until 1988. Each year, she took a week’s vacation from The Post before Christmas to run the store’s main cash register. She was a founding member of Temple Israel. Over the years, she was active in numerous organizations and movements, including the Temple Israel Sisterhood, American Association of University Women, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Rowan Helping Ministries, American Field Service, and the Salisbury Human Relations Council. Memorial Service: 2:00 PM Friday (Oct 21)at Omwake Dearborn Chapel on the Campus of Catawba College, Rabbi Andrew Ettin officiating. There will be a private burial. Visitation: after the memorial service at the home of daughter, Phyllis Post, 209 Churchill Dr. Memorials: Rowan Regional Hospice, 720 Grove St., Salisbury, NC 28144, Alzheimer’s Association, 3420 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215-3298, Temple Israel, PO Box 815, Salisbury, NC 28145, Eddie & Rose Post Scholarship at Catawba College, 2300 W. Innes St. Salisbury, NC 28144, or The Post Family Endowment C/O Rowan County Public Library, 201 W. Fisher St. Salisbury, NC 28144. Summersett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.

Rose Zimmerman Post

October 2, 1926 - October 20, 2011