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Matt, Sara, Kiersten, Grace, Emily, Amelia, & Ruth
purchased flowers for the family of Leonard Zimmerman. Send Flowers
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Jennifer Brodhead uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, November 23, 2019
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Leonard Zimmerman…where do I start. Well to keep a long story short…. I had the honor of being his first grandchild. I really was so blessed to get to spend so much time with both my grandparents. Grandpa always had a smile and a big wet kiss ready. As a kid, the big wet kiss was probably not my favorite but he was grandpa. He was always doing something. When you went to his house he was probably outside working on something and more than likely he had his shirt off. So a big sweaty belly hug is the first thing you got which was probably from everyone’s leftovers gram would pass him at the dinner table-children of the depression era. Normally he would follow that up with the most famous words, ”Pull my finger!” The man was known far and wide for that saying. For anyone that worked with him at Mountain Bell you know how dangerous these words could be. My dad’s grandfather would tell the story how he would send everyone on a coffee break in the office, all you heard was oh Zimm and everyone would dash out of the office. Of course as a kid, this was the best ever because we would pull his finger and everyone else would complain while we giggled about it. If he wasn’t out in the back yard setting the water sprinkler (which it was that old tractor looking one that ran on the hose and boy he would get mad if you moved the hose on him) or he was doing something with wood (of course he would give you a piece, a hammer and some nails from the babyfood containers that were nailed in all over his workshop and then he’d let you to go to town hammering nails) or for some reason he was always using his grinder and I still have no idea what he was always grinding. I spent quite a few days during my summers off running errands with him. Riding around in that maroon ford with no a/c but those triangle windows you had to aim right at you. Some days we would end up at OMOS and some days we were at the Knights of Columbus. Although, being at the knights did have benefits if there wasn’t something I could help him with. You see the club had cable and coke on tap! And if I was really lucky grandpa would open the liquor cabinet…now don’t get crazy, that’s where they kept the grenadine for a cherry coke! And then sometimes he would let me get a candy bar from the refrigerator, from the bingo goodies. Of course he would get his money worth’s, I can’t tell you how many times I swept floors, mopped floors and moved chairs and tables. Did you ever call him on the phone? It would crack me up, every time he answered the phone, “This is Leonard”. I never figured out why he answered the house phone like that. I’m guessing it was something he picked up at work. So you would say hi and he would ask how you were and when you answered good he would respond with “Think you’ll get over it”. Always made me laugh. As I got older I would beat him to the punch, Hello Leonard this is Jennifer, how are you doing. Then of course he would say good, I would say think you’ll get over it then he would respond “Now that you called”. Damn he was always one step ahead. Speaking of funny work habits, did you ever drive him anywhere…..Clear to the right when you need it! Without fail he was on the lookout, now I understand that was a Mt. Bell training for drivers but I still looked. He was known for making inappropriate remarks and of course gram always told him to shut up. He was always going without but honestly, they had 3 kids right after they married so I’m guessing he was full of it! The other things he would say probably aren’t appropriate for church but I’m sure you all know a few. He definitely had a tendency of calling it like he saw it. And boy did he have a quick temper! But the reality was when he said he was a lover and not a fighter, there were never truer words. His sister Kathy shared with us that he wouldn’t fight kids when they picked on him and she had to go stick up for him and if you know Aunt Kathy, there’s no doubt in my mind she handled things! And all those harlequin romance novels he and grandma would go through, they were all the same but always a happy ending. He truly was a sensitive soul. It didn’t take much to get tears welling in his eyes. In fact, we celebrated one of their anniversaries and I remember saying some words right here in church and all you saw was two big loving eyes bright red dripping with tears. He was so proud and so loving to all his grandchildren. He always made you feel safe and loved. I never once doubted his love for me. I’m truly blessed and thankful that he met both of my kids. In fact Dori started asking to go see him which made me so happy that she experienced his love. We visited the day before he left us and the memory of him smiling and looking at my kiddos so lovingly will be with me forever. He is missed already but for those who were honored to know him will remember him always. Grandpa, hug Grandma for us and know you will be missed every day!
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Matt, Sara, Kiersten, Grace, Emily, Amelia, & Ruth purchased flowers
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
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Matt, Sara, Kiersten, Grace, Emily, Amelia, & Ruth
purchased the America the Beautiful for the family of Leonard Zimmerman.
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We love you Great Grandpa Z!
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The family of Leonard Zimmerman uploaded a photo
Saturday, November 16, 2019
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