Wilma Zimmerman
January 6, 1950 — June 17, 2016
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Wilma Jean Zimmerman, age 66 years of Niles, Michigan died unexpectedly Friday morning, June 17, 2016 at her home following an extended illness.
She was born on January 6, 1950 in Newport, Arkansas to Harvel Lee and Imogene M. (Looney) Thomas. She attended school in both Arkansas and Niles, and has lived here most of her life. She had tended the bar of several area taverns including the former Oasis, the Hide-A-Way Lounge, and the former VFW Post in Niles.
Wilma was the secretary for the Dart League at the Hide-A-Way, and had volunteered as the secretary for the local chapter of the Special Olympics. She was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2094 in Niles, and enjoyed visiting casinos, reading novels, and watching old television programs such as “I Love Lucy” and “The Flintstones”.
On May 6, 1972 in Niles she married Billy Donald Zimmerman with whom she celebrated last month the Forty-fourth anniversary of their wedding.
Surviving family includes her husband, Billy Zimmerman and their children, Tracy (& Mark) Guetterman and Billy D. (& Heather) Zimmerman, both of Niles and Jamie (& Jamie) Zimmerman of Buchanan, Michigan; grandchildren Shane Zimmerman, Brandon (& Jessica) Johnson, David Johnson, Stephanie Johnson, Justin (& Samantha) Zimmerman, and Nicholas, Jamison, Brayden and Avary Zimmerman; great-grandchildren Renee, Collin, Melanie, Kaiden, Dominic, Dakota, Garon, and Ryann; and Wilma’s siblings, Kathy Thomas of Niles, Dan Thomas of Jackson, Michigan, and Randy (& Jackie) Thomas of Three Rivers and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Ava Zimmerman, a sister, Brenda Ballentine, and a brother, Tommy Thomson.
The funeral service for Wilma Zimmerman will be at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Pastor Charles Zook of Summit Church in Niles officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday at the funeral home beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Contributions in memory of Wilma may be made to Ava’s Heart Foundation – providing resources for families of infant and child patients – at the University of Michigan, C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.