Washington, DC, at the age of 56. Jim was born June 13, 1964, in Santa Monica, California, son
of Darrell Zinn and Joyce Ley Zinn. He spent his early years in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and later
childhood and adolescence in Davis, California, where he attended the University of California
at Davis. After college, Jim spent three years in the Peace Corps in The Gambia, West Africa.
During these formative years he worked in forestry and chimpanzee rehabilitation and made
lifelong friends. Jim moved to Washington, DC, in 1996 where he and Francesca (Frankie)
Thompson married in 2002 and where their daughter, Sophia Joyce Zinn, was born in 2004. Jim
worked in many areas over the years, from farming to social work, all of which reflected his love
of being outdoors, helping people, and living life with creativity and independence. Most
recently, Jim ran a handyman business on Capitol Hill where his dependability and skill earned
him not only the loyalty, but often the friendship, of his customers. Jim, Frankie, and Sophia had
countless adventures together over the years, most notably pulling Sophia out of 7th grade to
spend a year sailing to the Caribbean. Wherever Jim went, people were drawn to his kindness,
story-telling, humor, generosity, and unique perspective on life. He always had a dog by his side
and his capacity for love and nurturing was never more evident than with his dogs. Jim is
survived by his wife and daughter and will be missed by many beloved friends.
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