Aimee Ann-Jeanette La Follette

August 7, 1973 - June 1, 2020

Aimee Ann-Jeanette La Follette, 46, of Fairmont, WV, passed away on June 1, 2020, having fought valiantly against the pancreatic cancer that eventually took her from us. Born on August 7, 1973, Aimee was the beloved daughter of Robert L "Bob" La Follette and Carol Ann La Follette. Having grown up in Fairmont, WV, Aimee was a graduate of Miller Junior High School and completed her secondary education at Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, PA. She ended her formal education with the distinction of graduating summa cum laude from Fairmont State College. Aimee parlayed her educational success into a rewarding career as a valued member of Jacobs and Hutchinson Hardware Company. In the finance department, she showed her skill as an accomplished bookkeeper whose fingers flew over adding machine keys with all the grace of a prima donna and the accuracy of a computer. Customers and manufacturer representatives lauded her professional skill when designing kitchens that somehow fulfilled needs that were never described. Of equal importance to Aimee was her connection to the Nautilus gym in Fairmont, WV. What began as a typical membership to include exercise in her life, evolved into an extended family and, eventually, into teaching water aerobics. Her time with the "Ladies of the Pool" became a secondary passion in her life, allowing her to shine as a teacher and to simply enjoy common interests with the women she taught. Certainly, we cannot speak of Aimee without highlighting her love and affinity for animals. To watch Aimee with her menagerie was to see reflected the very best of humanity. Never willing to allow an animal to go in need of shelter, food, or care, Aimee became known as the guaranteed haven for any pet whose owners either tired of responsibility or simply could no longer offer a good home. Aimee had a unique way of relating to people. Never one to put on airs, she was exactly herself and expected no more or less from others. In doing so, Aimee put others at ease. This is an observation shared again and again by family, friends, customers, and colleagues alike. Aimee loved to gather with friends to indulge in simple enjoyments from touring in her Jeep, to playing bunco, to competing in pub quizzes at the Derby. Her love of popular and esoteric TV shows proved helpful in the latter. Perhaps dearest to her were the excursions to Tybee Island in Georgia. It was there that she found true peace and the ability to simply let go and enjoy herself. In each pursuit, Aimee's companions found a fun, witty, and loyal friend. Fittingly, her trivia group, especially, returned this in equal measure through her last days. No tribute to Aimee is complete without discussing her love of Halloween and her love of storytelling. Aimee was a devotee of the Harry Potter series; the Arabian Nights stories; the Doctor Who series, etc. These all share the common element of providing entertainment and a bit of escapism, while requiring the engagement of one's entire being. As such, it's easy to see that Aimee was enticed by things that require true connections - whether those connections were to animals, people, or ideas. These connections allowed Aimee to explore her world and herself in it. Not content to merely enjoy life, Aimee sought out ways to serve her community. In particular, she helped beautify parts of Fairmont as a member of the Green Hills Garden Club and supported the education of women as a member of PEO, Chapter R. Lending her gifts to these organizations, Aimee hoped to make the world around her just a little better. Aimee loved to cook. Her specialties included, to name a few: baklava; hotdog sauce; lasagna; and trays of cookies of every type imaginable. She approached cooking as a way to share herself with the people she chose to feed. Never was this side of Aimee more evident than in the annual Halloween parties she hosted in her home or the Christmas party held by Jacobs and Hutchinson each year. Aimee saw these parties as a way to give of herself to friends and family while helping people from different spheres come together and make new connections among themselves. Delighting in the ordinary became a pivotal part of Aimee's final stage of life. Even as she struggled with the progression of her cancer, she found things to be grateful for and things to make her smile. These included things as simple as the breeze on her face or the ability to look at flowers in the garden and in beautiful arrangements sent to her. Aimee enjoyed a good (or groaningly terrible) joke. Always the subtext was: if you truly appreciate things, it takes very little to be happy. Aimee was preceded in death by her father, Robert L. La Follette. She is survived by her son, Michael Todd Wilson, her mother Carol Ann La Follette; and her siblings, Jean-Paul "JP" La Follette and Robert C. "Rob" La Follette. Aimee also leaves behind her sisters-in-law, Courtney La Follette and Heather La Follette, married to JP and Rob respectively; her nieces, Madeline and Claudia La Follette (daughters of JP and Courtney La Follette); and her aunt, Dr. Mary Simpson. The family wishes to extend its gratitude to WVU Medicine and staff, and to Aimee's primary Amedisys Nurse, Courtnie McKnight. Thank you for the excellent care you rendered and your efforts to help us keep Aimee as comfortable as possible. In keeping with Aimee's wishes and her love of bringing people together, visitation will be held at Carpenter and Ford Funeral Home, 209 Merchant St., Fairmont, on Friday, June 05, 2020, from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. In keeping with her wishes, Aimee will be cremated. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Aimee's name to the Marion County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 905, Fairmont, WV 26554. No interment ceremonies will be held. Instead, Aimee will find her final resting place in her beloved Tybee Island, where she was her happiest and enjoyed the fondest memories. Goodbye, sweet girl, you were dearly loved and will be surely missed.