Richard Earl Zimmerman, Sr.'s Obituary
Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Richard Earl Zimmerman passed away on September 22, 2018. A native of Munhall, Pennsylvania, Rich was born to the late John and Katharine on March 16,1948. He graduated from Munhall High School and was a 1971 graduate of West Point. In 1972, he married his high-school sweetheart and wife of 46 years, JoAnn (Rearick). Rich served in the United States Army Infantry for 25 years, taking his family on new adventures every few years, living in Texas, Panama, Georgia, Ohio, Colorado, (a solo trip to Korea), Michigan, Virginia and England. Following retirement from the Army in 1995, Rich and JoAnn laid roots in northern Virginia, where Rich pursued a career in the private sector and together they created “home.” Rich was an avid runner with a nice collection of race shirts as evidence. He enjoyed taking drives just to explore, writing short stories about his life, and, above all, being with his family. He was always a source of gentle and sound guidance, and will be greatly missed. For his family and in partnership with his wife, Rich bravely fought renal cancer for more than a decade. He never stopped being there for his family or engaging in the work he loved. He is survived and loved by his best friend and wife, JoAnn; their daughter Meghan (Christopher) Gough of Richmond, VA and son Richard (Erica) Zimmerman Jr. of Columbus, OH; his brother John (Susan) and sister Isabelle Foskett. He is “Papa” to two granddaughters, Anna Elizabeth and Lillian Grace.
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