Jon Zimmer Obituary

Jon W. Zimmer Jr.

Jon W. Zimmer Jr., 54, of Okemos, MI, died peacefully on October 6, 2016, after a nearly four year battle with cancer.

He is survived by parents, Jon W. Zimmer Sr., and Carole L. Zimmer (Kleihauer) of Elmhurst, IL; wife, Paula J. Zimmer (Madden); children, Audra Simone Zimmer, 14, and Cole Garrett Zimmer, 12; sister, Catherine L. Myer (Zimmer); brother-in-law, Jeffrey Myer; nephew, Duncan Myer; and niece, Cassidy Myer; uncle, Thomas M. Zimmer; and aunt, Lydia G. Zimmer (Goss); uncle, Frederick Hopkins Kleihauer; uncle, Christian Frederick Kleihauer [deceased]; and aunt, Sara Kleihauer (Frizzell); grandparents, [deceased] Pastor and Lacy Kleihauer and Walter and Kay Zimmer; plus many cousins.

Jon was born at an army base in NJ, then lived briefly in Chicago, IL, and finally from age three, grew up in Elmhurst, IL. He attended Lincoln Elementary and Bryan Middle School. He is a 1980 graduate of York High School, where he was a wrestler and football player. Jon earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 from the School of Printing, College of Graphic Arts and Photography, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. He is a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, Xi Upsilon Chapter. He held offices of President, Sergeant at Arms and Pledge Master. Brothers and Little Sisters, he will miss you all at future reunions.

Jon had a successful printing sales career for 16 years, and enjoyed working alongside the art and graphic design communities. During that time, he had lived on both coasts and in the Midwest. In 1997, Jon married Paula at Howes Chapel, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. They started their married life together in Norwood Park, Chicago, IL, the same neighborhood that Jon's grandparents once lived. In 2001, Jon earned his Master of Business Administration from Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. He began his new career in Marketing, Consulting and Operations Management in 2001, thereafter welcoming daughter Audra into the world. Jon's Operations and General Manager roles relocated his family several times over the next nine years, and during that time Cole was born and completed his family. Jon and family moved to Okemos, MI, in 2011, where for five years he has worked as Director of Operations at the Georgia-Pacific Corrugated Plant in Owosso.

He highly-valued his relationships with friends and coworkers. If you were a friend of Jon's, you were his friend for life. He loved his wife and children, extended family and TKE brotherhood family, working hard in business and education, adventures including fishing in Canada, biking, woodworking, cooking, automobiles, music and surfing; and he always wrote thank you cards. Our family is deeply saddened by Jon's passing, but we rejoice that he is no longer suffering.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, November 19, 1:00 p.m., St. Peter's United Church of Christ, 125 W. Church Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126.

Paula Zimmer is establishing a college fund specifically for the education of Audra and Cole Zimmer. Donations can be mailed to: Jon W. Zimmer, Jr. Memorial Academic Fund, c/o UBS Financial Services, Inc., One North Wacker Drive, 37th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606.

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Chapel.

On line condolences may be made at

www.greastlansing.com