Some glad morning...
Orvell Bernhard "OB" Zimmerman, age 91, of Oshkosh, passed into eternal life on Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at Westbrooke Manor, Oshkosh. He was born October 8, 1923, the son of Bernhard "Ben" F. and Linda H. (Kreklow) Zimmerman.
OB graduated from Winneconne High School in 1941. He earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1946. On November 3, 1945, he married the love of his life, Mary Catherine "Polly" (Grimes) Zimmerman at the Newman Center Chapel in Madison. OB and Polly settled in the Sovereign State of Winneconne to raise their family.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from January 1943 to June of 1946 and in the Korean War from November 1950 to August 1952. OB attended Great Lakes Naval Training Center where he earned Honorman of his Company. From there he went into the V-12 Unit at UW Madison for officer training. He was commissioned Ensign and eventually attained the rank of Lieutenant JG.
OB worked at Oshkosh Motor Truck for nearly twenty years, in material control, the engineering department and ultimately as sales manager. He sold trucks and heavy equipment to towns, government agencies, the US Department of Defense and internationally. OB invested in Lee Truck Sales Inc. with his good friend Bill Hay and eventually owned and operated Zimmerman Truck and Equipment, Inc.
OB was an avid sports fan and athlete. While attending the University of Wisconsin, he played football for one year and lettered two years in baseball. He batted over .300 in one season. He was selected by the Chicago Cubs but instead chose to continue his military obligations. OB and his brothers played baseball on a Winneconne team in a regional league. He loved playing golf with his children and his brother Red (aka the "Clumsy Brothers"), duck hunting with his college roommate, Roy Woboril and fishing and trapping with his brother Waddy and his daughter, Elli. OB was a life-long fan of the Packers, Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, UW-Badgers and local sports teams in Oshkosh and Winneconne. OB enjoyed playing Cribbage, Euchre and Gin with his card-playing buddies.
OB is survived by: his children, Mark Zimmerman, of Madison; Ellen "Elli" (Tom) Wollangk, of Oshkosh; Anne (Bill) Conzemius, of Fitchburg; James "Jaime" Zimmerman, of Madison; Jane "Ginger" Zimmerman, of Sun Prairie; and Robert (Jill Caler) Zimmerman, of Defuniak Springs, FL; eight grandchildren, Heidi Strand (Brad), Sara Conzemius-Van de Grift, Melody Wollangk (Jason Toney), Calen (Allison) Fretts, Cody Fretts, Monica Fretts, Emma Fretts and Ian Zimmerman; and five great-grandchildren, Cora Strand, Quinn Van de Grift, E.J. Van de Grift, Grace Toney, and Will Toney. He is also survived by his brother, Elmer "Mike" (Enid) Zimmerman; and sisters-in-law, Ila Zimmerman and Barb Zimmerman; along with extended family members, Mary Elvekrog, Nelson Graham, Lu and Ken Baitinger and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
OB was preceded in death by his wife, Polly; his son, John B. Zimmerman; brothers, Myrle "Red" Zimmerman, Ralph "Waddy" Zimmerman; and a sister and brother-in-law, Verla and Leroy "Chub" Eckstein.
A visitation for family and friends will be on Monday, March 2, 2015, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at St. Raphael's Catholic Church, 830 S. Westhaven Dr. Oshkosh. A funeral Mass will be held on Monday at 4:00 p.m. at the church with Fr. Doug LeCaptain officiating. Entombment will be on Tuesday, March 3 at Lake View Memorial Park, Oshkosh.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the family's Driftwood Fund at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation.
The family wishes to thank Linda Carlson L.P.N. and her dedicated staff at Westbrooke Manor, the staff at Evergreen Long Term Care, Clarity Care at Home, and Affinity Visiting Nurse Association for all the loving care they provided.
...I'll fly away.
If you wish, please submit online condolences to muellerfuneralhomeinc.com.