1926
Marilyn
2011
Marilyn June Zimmerman
June 7, 1926 — June 9, 2011
We honor the memory of Marilyn June Zimmerman, after losing her at the age of 85 following a nearly year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on June 7th, 1926 in Fredonia, North Dakota to Otto and Katherine Hillius, Marilyn was the youngest of four daughters. Her story began on the family farm, took her with her husband to the shipyards of Portland, Oregon and concluded in her home of over fifty years, where she was always surrounded and truly loved by family, friends and neighbors. She died peacefully at home, with her family by her side. To truly know Marilyn was to be a witness of what can be achieved by ingenuity, hard work and a warm smile. To enter her home was to experience authentic hospitality, for no one ever left hungry or without a huge hug, and a genuine invitation to return soon.
As a young farm girl, Marilyn was 'babe' to her father and truly his right hand 'man'. On pony, on foot or even on her bicycle delivering papers, Marilyn was always helping her family. When she boarded in a nearby town to attend high school, she developed life-long friendships. She was a fixer of many things, and there is not a family member from her parents to her sisters to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that she hasn't helped care for in some way over the years. She leaves a legacy of helping family and nurturing her friends throughout her life as a roadmap for each of us to follow.
She met Walter Zimmerman and married him in September of 1946. Their decision to move to Portland, Oregon launched the following three generations of native Pacific Northwesterners. Marilyn is survived by her four children, all of Portland, Oregon: Edie Ireland (Gerry), Greg Zimmerman (Lynne), Lynn Zimmerman Lind (Greg) and Doug Zimmerman (Darrin Pufall), seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
From her we all learned the value of a hard day's work, a clean home and the truth in the adage that if you didn't have leftovers, you didn't make enough. After raising her four children, she started her own career, and retired after 28 years with Meier and Frank. She won numerous service awards. How could she not? With her engaging smile, and determination to track down the right product for the right person, she was admired by customers and colleagues alike.
She saw each of her children through college, marriages, and the arrival of grandchildren. After losing Walt, her husband of nearly 56 years, she took on her new role as GG (great grandma) with relish and enjoyed spending her time amongst her four children's families. She took pride in each of her children's, grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's accomplishments, attending plays, graduations, athletic competitions and 'Grandparent's Days' with deep enthusiasm. No sooner was one event over and she was looking at her calendar and double checking with everyone on the details of the next event. She was a terrific one for planning ahead, spending weeks decorating and setting tables in anticipation of gatherings at her home.
Anyone who visited her home over the last fifteen years, was treated to a view of her extraordinary Christmas house collection, accompanied by a tree, ornaments and most likely a plate of her homemade cookies out of her 'deep freeze'. Her spaghetti dinners were legendary and her knack for overseeing every detail left all of us confident, even in the face of inclement weather or power outages. Young, or not-so-young, you knew that Marilyn would keep the house warm and find a way to get the food on the table, delicious, hot and plentiful.
Marilyn's door was always open, her kitchen always busy, and her front porch always clean. She's deeply, deeply missed by her family, as well as friends and neighbors alike. For each time she's said to each of us, "Come back soon," we say to her, "You were loved and we miss you." We know that where she's at now there are blue skies, warm breezes and wide shady porches. She's embraced by loved ones gone before and has many smiling faces with which to sit and have a cup of hot coffee and a visit.
Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to Providence Portland Medical Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund - In Memory of Marilyn J. Zimmerman, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR 97213.
As a young farm girl, Marilyn was 'babe' to her father and truly his right hand 'man'. On pony, on foot or even on her bicycle delivering papers, Marilyn was always helping her family. When she boarded in a nearby town to attend high school, she developed life-long friendships. She was a fixer of many things, and there is not a family member from her parents to her sisters to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that she hasn't helped care for in some way over the years. She leaves a legacy of helping family and nurturing her friends throughout her life as a roadmap for each of us to follow.
She met Walter Zimmerman and married him in September of 1946. Their decision to move to Portland, Oregon launched the following three generations of native Pacific Northwesterners. Marilyn is survived by her four children, all of Portland, Oregon: Edie Ireland (Gerry), Greg Zimmerman (Lynne), Lynn Zimmerman Lind (Greg) and Doug Zimmerman (Darrin Pufall), seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
From her we all learned the value of a hard day's work, a clean home and the truth in the adage that if you didn't have leftovers, you didn't make enough. After raising her four children, she started her own career, and retired after 28 years with Meier and Frank. She won numerous service awards. How could she not? With her engaging smile, and determination to track down the right product for the right person, she was admired by customers and colleagues alike.
She saw each of her children through college, marriages, and the arrival of grandchildren. After losing Walt, her husband of nearly 56 years, she took on her new role as GG (great grandma) with relish and enjoyed spending her time amongst her four children's families. She took pride in each of her children's, grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's accomplishments, attending plays, graduations, athletic competitions and 'Grandparent's Days' with deep enthusiasm. No sooner was one event over and she was looking at her calendar and double checking with everyone on the details of the next event. She was a terrific one for planning ahead, spending weeks decorating and setting tables in anticipation of gatherings at her home.
Anyone who visited her home over the last fifteen years, was treated to a view of her extraordinary Christmas house collection, accompanied by a tree, ornaments and most likely a plate of her homemade cookies out of her 'deep freeze'. Her spaghetti dinners were legendary and her knack for overseeing every detail left all of us confident, even in the face of inclement weather or power outages. Young, or not-so-young, you knew that Marilyn would keep the house warm and find a way to get the food on the table, delicious, hot and plentiful.
Marilyn's door was always open, her kitchen always busy, and her front porch always clean. She's deeply, deeply missed by her family, as well as friends and neighbors alike. For each time she's said to each of us, "Come back soon," we say to her, "You were loved and we miss you." We know that where she's at now there are blue skies, warm breezes and wide shady porches. She's embraced by loved ones gone before and has many smiling faces with which to sit and have a cup of hot coffee and a visit.
Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to Providence Portland Medical Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund - In Memory of Marilyn J. Zimmerman, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR 97213.
Visitation
Rose City Funeral Home
5625 Northeast Fremont Street
Portland
,
OR
US
97213-1754
Thursday, June 16, 2011, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Service
Rose City Funeral Home
5625 Northeast Fremont Street
Portland
,
OR
US
97213-1754
Friday, June 17, 2011, 1:00 PM
Cemetery
Rose City Cemetery
5625 N.E. Fremont St.
Portland
,
OR
US
97213-1754
Friday, June 17, 2011,
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Marilyn June Zimmerman, please visit our flower store.