Fredric Zimmerman

Fred W. Zimmerman slipped away from us on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 from complications of pneumonia surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 72. He was born to Martha White and Otto H. Zimmerman in Kankakee, Illinois on December 20, 1942. He served in the US Army from 1964 – 1966.
He moved to Durango with his wife Jane in 1976 from New Orleans, La. He was an employee of Purgatory Ski Area in his early years where he loved skiing. He worked for 20 years at the Ore House Restaurant and then became a Real Estate Broker and retiring from Keller Williams Real Estate in January 2015.
Fred joined the Elk’s and became heavily involved with our local Durango Elk’s Lodge #507; he was elected Chairman of the Trustees on two occasions and worked diligently on the scholarship program. It was his home away from home.
He loved the Durango community and volunteered with many organizations including the lst World Mountain Bike Championship, Iron Horse Bicycle Classic and Don Whalen Golf Tournament. He participated in Snowdown for many years including judging the chili cookoff for almost 20 years. He was a collector of Snowdown memorabilia including a beloved sash that displayed each year’s Snowdown button.
He grew up in the Midwest where his dad worked himself up from trainman to executive level management for the Illinois Central Railroad and Fred became a collector of many pieces of railroad memorabilia.
He liked adventure and became a scuba diver in his late 40’s and one of his best trips was to the Great Barrier Reef. He rafted the Grand Canyon with his Durango friends.
He liked to travel and he and Jane enjoyed many cruises including Alaska, the Greek Isles and a river barge cruise through France.
His special hobby was growing Bonsai trees and he received special recognition from the La Plata County Fair for the Educational Award from the floriculture department.
He was a loving father to his son Jeff, loving husband to his wife Jane and a friend to many.
He is survived by his mother Martha, 99, of Carmel, IN; wife Jane and son Jeff of Durango; sister Mary Clegg (Dave) of Carmel, IN; niece and nephew Missy and Kevin deJourno of Avon, CO and cousin Andrea Van Essen (Doug) of Denver, CO.
A Celebration of his Life will be held Saturday, July 25th at 2:00pm at the Durango Elks Lodge #507 – use 9th St. entrance.
In lieu of flowers donations are encouraged to: Durango Elks Scholarship Fund; “Fred Zimmerman Memorial Elk Scholarship Fund”; 901 E. 2nd Ave, Durango, CO 81301.