Mary Zimmerman

Mary Zimmerman was a strong-willed woman who lived her life by being an example of a devoted wife, caring mother, devoted friend and faithful Christian. Mary was a constant in the lives of those who knew her, very dependable and loyal. Friends and family cherished her friendship.

With the Great Depression hanging over the country, the year 1934 was a time of difficulty for all Americans, whether you lived in the city or in the country. The unemployment rate pushed toward new heights, and those who had jobs were often underpaid and overworked. It was a challenging time, but Everett Haynes and his wife, Thelma (Reed), of Vicksburg, Michigan maintained their positive spirits by focusing on the many blessings in their lives. They had six children, four of which were Thelma’s from a previous marriage and two from Everett. Together, the couple would have six more children; among them was their daughter, Mary Eleanor, born on July 23, 1934, in their home on Pearl Street.

To support their large family, Everett worked at Allied Paper Mill, but also farmed their land, while Thelma undoubtedly had her hands full raising their 10 children. Mary was a real tomboy growing up and would rather be under the hood of her 1937 Chevy and playing football, than having tea parties and doing her nails. Yet, she did love the social aspect of being a teenager, and her bubbly personality won her many friends. Mary received her education in the Vicksburg Community Schools, where she was a good student. Aside from her studies, she also worked various jobs, including at the soda foundation at Hill’s Pharmacy. Mary graduated with the class of 1952 at Vicksburg High, which was the first graduating class in the new high school.

Mary was just 13 when she met her future husband, Ted Zimmerman, when his family moved in across the street. Like Mary, Ted’s family had 11 children, so the two families did a lot together over the years. As fate would have it, Ted and Mary fell in love and were married a year after graduating high school on September 5, 1953. The happy couple spent the next 54 years together, raising their four children: Ken, Susan, Michael and Steven, and sharing many wonderful memories as a family. Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Mary worked outside the home at Upjohn for 20 years before retiring. However, even in retirement, she still worked at Bartholomew Heating and Cooling, that was until they got computers, and then she quit. Funny though, when Mary got a computer at home, no one could get her off of it.

Being retired meant Mary had more time to pursue some of her favorite activities, like bowling and golfing. In fact, at one time, she participated in 5 different golf leagues and was the secretary for 3 of them. Her all time favorite course was States Golf Course in Vicksburg, where she was the first female to get a hole-in-one. Mary wasn’t one to just do things - she always did them to perfection; she was quite competitive. She frequented States so much that they knew her by name and treated her like a queen. Over the years, Mary collected many bowling and golf trophies she proudly displayed in her home.

After having an empty nest at home, Mary and Ted started wintering in Winter Haven, Florida for several years, where Mary practically lived in the sun! Mary was still very sociable and maintained many special relationships, among which was her good friends, Betty and Joe Price. While relaxing at home, she liked doing puzzles and crosswords, or perhaps going out to play Bingo at a local hall. Of all the great things in Mary’s life, time spent with her loved ones towered above the rest. Although Mary will be dearly missed, her legacy of love and dedication leaves her loved ones with wonderful memories and a strong foundation to look to for comfort.

Mary Eleanor (Haynes) Zimmerman, of Vicksburg, MI, age 73 passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2008. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Ted; four children: Ken (Melody) Zimmerman of Goodrich, Susan Craft of Vicksburg, Michael (Wendy) Zimmerman of MO, and Steven (Lisa) Zimmerman of Vicksburg; 10 grandchildren: David, Kevin, Joe, Brooke, Mindy, Brock, Baileigh, Alysia, Jason, Jessica; and 3 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings: Shirley (Bill) Valencourt of Vicksburg, Elaine Barringer of Vicksburg, Bill (Diane) Haynes of Vicksburg, Donna (Ken) Ream of VA, and Ruth (Russ) Bartholomew of Scotts; and many nieces and nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her siblings: Jeanette Parsons, Bud West, Dorothy (West) Snyder, Lillian West, Roger “Stub” Haynes and Evelyn Haynes.

Learn more about Mary, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends on Tuesday, May 13, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, at the Vicksburg United Methodist Church. Please visit Mary’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may share a favorite memory or photo with her family or sign her online guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Rose Arbor.