Obituary of George Zimmerman

George Zimmerman George Zimmerman, beloved husband, father and sailor died on Saturday, February 14, 2009 after a courageous battle with kidney cancer. He will be remembered fondly by those who knew and loved him for his brave fight, his perseverance, his sense of humor, and his devotion to his wife and son. George was born in Pittsburgh in 1954, son of Ivan and Helen Zimmerman. He graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in City Planning and graduated from Temple University in 1982 with an MBA in Health Care Administration. George was an avid swimmer and sailor and moved to the Seattle area in 1989 to be near the water. In his Olympia home, he finally found his dream of a "house beside the water”. George enjoyed being on his sailboat “Escape” and loved the outdoors. He was an Eagle Scout, accomplished sailor, and author of several articles and book reviews published in the Good Old Boat magazine. George was a valued employee of the Department of Social and Health Services since 2001 developing housing resources for older adults and people with disabilities. He received the 2006 DSHS Regional Partnership Award in recognition of his successful efforts to form public-private partnerships to develop affordable housing for seniors in rural areas. He is survived by his wife, Maggie; son, Ryan; mother, Helen; and brother, Gordon; and Nala, his black lab. He was predeceased by his sister, Diane; brother, Mark; and father, Ivan. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of George to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), P.O. Box 19023, Seattle, WA 98109-1023. A memorial fund is being established. The family would like to express their deepest thanks to all those who provided love and support at this most difficult time. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 21, 2009 at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 3320 79th Ave. NW, Olympia with graveside service to follow at Mills and Mills Memorial Park at 11:30 a.m. There will be a celebration of life following the graveside at the Zimmerman home. Please leave condolences online by clicking "View Guestbook" below.