Gary Martin Zimmer

Gary Martin Zimmer of Storrs, CT, was fatally injured in a cycling accident on February 9, 2011, in Jensen Beach, FL. A native of Jersey City, NJ, he was the only son of the late Bertha and Leo Zimmer.

Zimmer graduated from Rutgers University with a BS in Agriculture and an MS in Entomology. Despite growing up in the city, he had a long career in agriculture, including work as Extension Plant Protection Specialist at the University of Rhode Island, Tri-state Small-farm Extension Agent (helping local farmers set up farmer’s markets in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island), a five-year stint as the owner of a 70-acre farm in Ohio while also serving as the Ashland County Ohio 4H Agent, and later supervisor at Central Exterminating Pest Control Company in Cleveland, OH. In 1985 he and his family moved to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he managed an 80-acre estate, producing fruits, vegetables, sheep, and game birds for gourmet restaurants in Newport, RI, and Boston. He went on to pursue a career as Head of Farm Services at the University of Connecticut, where he worked until retirement seven years ago.

He had great practical skills and after reading books on carpentry, plumbing and electrical work, designed and built two homes for his family.

He loved to travel and after studying Spanish in his fifties took a six-month sabbatical in Talca, Chile, where he worked with local farmers and made lasting friendships. He was later invited to Western China where he demonstrated silage techniques to Uighur farmers.

Zimmer was also very active in his community, notably on the Mansfield Planning and Zoning Commission as well as the Solid Waste and Transportation committees. He advocated for the University of CT to implement a large-scale composting operation.

A U.S. ARMY veteran, Zimmer worked at Nike Hercules missile bases in the Midwest during the Vietnam era.

Zimmer was an avid recumbent cyclist, enjoying long tours as well as regular daily excursions. Other interests included healthy cooking, the brewing of fine coffees, raising a Danish Swedish Farmdog and following domestic and international news developments.

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008, he generously participated in several research projects, including donating skin cells for iPS stem cell research.

He was predeceased by his niece Leila Eve Heald and brother-in-law David Mastrangelo. Survivors include his beloved wife of 35 years, Karen, their three sons, Noah Silver Zimmer of Norwich, CT, Jesse Porter Zimmer and wife Caroline Gravel of Quebec City, Canada, and Adam Lee Zimmer of Storrs, CT., his sisters Marlene Harriet Heald of Pomfret, CT, and Gail Enid Zimmer and husband David Asman of Fair Lawn, NJ, nephew and niece Morgan and Ayla Heald of Pomfret, CT, and grandchildren Xavier Gravel Zimmer and Emma Lucy Zimmer of Quebec City, as well as many cousins, aunts, and cherished friends.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Connecticut.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation (michaeljfox.org) or NAMI-CT (namict.org) at 241 Main St., 5th Floor, Hartford, CT, 06106.