On June 15, 1894, a long-awaited daughter named Rimma was born to college assessor Mikhail Ivanov and his wife Elena Nikanorovna. From an early age, she displayed an unquenchable spirit, mischief, and incredible energy. When asked what she dreamed of becoming, Rimma answered without hesitation: "A soldier!" She truly was brave and selfless. There is a known case when, on the eve of her graduation from gymnasium, while walking along the embankment with a friend, Rimma noticed a drowning person and, without thinking, jumped into the water in her dress to save him.

However, her greatest feat occurred on the front lines of World War I, where she went as a nurse. Rimma was assigned to the 83rd Samur Regiment and became its symbol and talisman. She was not afraid to crawl across the battlefield, saving the wounded, and once even laid a cable under enemy fire. In a short time, she was awarded two George Crosses. Unfortunately, her luck was short-lived.

On September 9, 1915, a fierce battle broke out near the Carpathian village of Mokrya Dubrovka. The Germans destroyed all the officers of the 10th company, where Rimma served as a nurse. Russian soldiers began to retreat in panic, but Rimma, running out of a shell hole, shouted: "Where are you going? There are wounded here!" and rushed to save the soldiers. Inspired by her heroism, the soldiers followed her, and the attack turned into hand-to-hand combat, resulting in our troops driving the enemy from their positions.

Unfortunately, Rimma received a fatal wound to her thigh and died on the way to the hospital. Posthumously, she was awarded the highest honors. Her feat was widely covered in newspapers, and even the Kaiser’s Red Cross protested, stating that "nurses should not perform feats on the battlefield." Rimma Ivanova's name is not forgotten: in 2018, her bust was ceremoniously unveiled in Stavropol.