Saturday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m., Orcas American Legion
— from Marie Troxel —
Tom Zimmerman, devoted husband, family man, Marine, Renaissance man, friend, and neighbor passed away February, 6th, 2015 at the Seattle Veteran’s Hospital after undergoing complications from surgery. Tom was surrounded by his loving wife, Ting Zimmerman, and sister, Nancy Zimmerman Merrill. There will be a Memorial to honor his life, Saturday, February, 28th, 2015 at 3:00 pm at the Orcas American Legion.
Tom Zimmerman was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota May 23, 1935. He was the first born son of Marian Braisted Zimmerman and Clarence Zimmerman. His father, Clarence, was a salesman for General Electric and his career led the family to move quite a few times around the Midwest. When World War II broke out the family moved to Los Angeles, California to help with the War effort. They lived in California from 1942 to 1951.Tom was a bright student in elementary school and then went on to junior high and found himself in quite a bit of trouble. His parents felt he needed a private school where his intellect would be challenged and his education would be primary. His parents then enrolled him at Flintridge Prep, a college preparatory school where he studied for a year before the family needed to move again.
In 1951 the whole family moved back to Minneapolis to take over a family business. Again, Tom was in trouble and was expelled from high school. During this time he worked in the gas station and everyone loved him. He also rode the rails in his early youth. He eventually settled down and went to Dunwoody in Minneapolis and learned the trade of welding, while he eagerly awaited getting accepted into the Marine Corps.
As soon as he turned 17 he joined the Marine Corps, 1952. He attended Boot camp at Pendleton. He was assigned to motor pool and drove equipment to be loaded on ships for Korea. When the ships were
loaded they loaded the men and off to Korea he went. However, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed when he was aboard ship and they were diverted to Japan. He spent about a year in Japan driving for General Wiseman and other generals. He loved the Marine Corps and decided to reenlist and go for embassy training in Washington DC. He was in the second graduating class of trained embassy guards.
When he graduated he had the choice of two assignments Russia or the Philippines. Tom chose the
Philippines and that was lucky for him, because there he met and married his wife Ting. Soon after meeting, Tom and Ting moved to California where he finished up his Marine Corp career at El Toro in
1957.
Upon completion of his Marine Corp service, Tom and partners bought a donut shop and expanded the donut shop business to three locations by the time they sold it.
Tom had always wanted to be in the foreign trade business so he went to Woodbury University in Los Angeles, CA. After graduation, in 1965 he and Ting traveled around the world ending up back in the Philippines in 1966. He first worked for ITT for a couple of years and then he founded his own business, Almarco, where he established product sources he found for foreign buys. The home base was in the Philippines but he also consulted and cultivated several small businesses throughout Asia to produce needed products for his buyer’s. His suppliers respected and loved him. Their businesses grew under his guidance. The buyers loved him because he found what they wanted and needed for the best price and quality. It was said he had a magic touch and was a superb salesman. He had buyers in Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, England, USA, India and even Katmandu. Throughout his career Tom was constantly traveling. Furniture was the primary product along with shirts, Jeans, baskets, shoes, and baby clothes. He talked to anybody and everybody and even more importantly he listened.
Eventually, he turned his business over to his employee and went to work for Pacwood, a family lumber business where beautiful doors were made. He also had a fishing business in the Philippines with 2 large boats. While doing business in the Philippines he started a Sports Fishing business in Campbell River on Vancouver Island, Canada.
On his trips to Canada he always made a side trip to reconnect with family and friends in the United States. On one of these trips he met with a good friend in San Francisco and that put him back in the food business. Tom and Ting moved back to the US to open several taquerias, a restaurant, and bar. At this
time Tom and Ting lived on their boat docked in Sausalito, California.
After several years in the San Francisco bay area, Tom officially retired and migrated to the Northwest with their boat looking for the ideal place to buy property and build their dream home. This led them to Orcas Island where Tom with the help of one worker and later his grandson, Stephan, built his beautiful home. This process took about 10 years while he and his patient wife lived on their boat and later moved into a trailer home on the property.
Tom had so many, many interests. The one that he did daily no matter what else was happening in his world was read. He read books and magazine on all subjects from Eastern Religions, mysteries, National Geographic, Guns to motorcycles.
Fishing was another favorite of his. He enjoyed all kinds of fishing from sea to mountain stream. He loved to ski and managed to find mountains all over the world that he would race down. He loved driving. He even raced cars and motorcycles. He so enjoyed music, especially jazz. There was never a subject brought up that Tom didn’t know something about and usually he knew a lot. You name it Tom Zimmerman had done it, read about it, designed it, or invented it. He was known by many as a Renaissance man.
It goes without saying the all important thing in Tom’s life was family. His wife Ting was what he lived and breathed for. He was wonderful to his Grandparents, especially his Grandmother, Olive Braisted, whom he visited late at night at the convalescence center. He was there for his Dad and his mother in their times of need as well. He flew from Berkeley to Burbank on weekends to visit his mother to help her make her transition. He was a business partner, friend, and counselor to his brother, Bob. When Bob passed away, Tom adopted his two sons, Robert and Christopher Zimmerman. He brought the two boys to Pasadena to be raised by his sister and her husband. He always kept in contact with them, loved them, and helped as needed. He loved his children and grandchildren through marriage, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles, and cousins. He cared for all his family and most importantly was greatly involved in their lives. He was always willing to give advice to anyone whether they wanted it or not. Anyone who ever knew Tom for any length of time became a friend, but not just a friend, but part of his family. He had such a capacity for love.
Tom left a plethora of friends and family members behind, who now have a giant hole where Tom
Zimmerman had been that no one can possibly fill. Oh! Tom you were so loved. We will miss you beyond words.
