Noble Zimmerman, 86

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 31, 2009

Noble “Babe” or “Zim” Zimmerman, 86, passed away at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa, on Christmas morning, resulting from a fall that happened before Thanksgiving.
Babe was born, Oct. 31, 1923, in Albert Lea, to Thornton and Mabel (Leschefske) Zimmerman.
Noble married Vera (Vonny) Meyers Sept. 30, 1944, in Troy, Kan., after his medical discharge from the Navy. He served in both theaters during World War II as a deep sea diver. They celebrated 63 years of marriage before Vonny’s death in February of 2008. They lived in Oxford, Raven wood, Maryville and St. Joseph, Mo., and Topeka, Kan., for most of their married lives, with a short time in Minnesota and California in the late ’50s and early ’60s. In 1990 they resided in Rochester for a brief time. He was a policeman, a Brinks security guard and a truck driver during his lifetime.
Noble was a member of the First Christian Church, Topeka, Kan., and of the VFW.
He was preceded in death by his spouse Vonny Zimmerman; his father, Thornton Zimmerman; his mother, Mabel Dammen; his brothers, Roland (Pete), and Kenneth Zimmerman; his sister, Viola Laskewitz and a nephew, Bruce Zimmerman.
He will be sadly missed by nieces: Carol (Laskewitz) Scott, Branson, Mo.; Terry (Laskewitz) Moore, San Bernardino, Calif.; Diane (Zimmerman) Neitzel, and Rhonda (Zimmerman) Hansen, Albert Lea; and many other relatives and friends.
Babe was a gentle, friendly, wonderful man who had many friends. He loved children and had a special time telling them stories about his adventures and experiences. Two of his great-grand -nieces had visited him this summer; they had a wonderful time. He would speak to them on the phone but it was so much nicer having them there and in person. They will miss him dearly. He was an accomplished wood carver and artist and very handy at everything. He and Vonny had a Volkswagon Bus and they traveled all over the U.S. in it during their time together. In all of their 63 years of marriage, they had never been away from each other for even one day. They were both full of love and kindness.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Price Funeral Home with Rev. Stephen Hubbell, Springfield, Mo., officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army. When Zim was discharged, he had little money and no way home and the Salvation Army helped him. They gave him food and a ticket home, which he never forgot.