Peter Zimmerman

Peter Alan Zimmerman, 64, passed away Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at Hospice of North Central Ohio. Born November 11, 1947 in Mansfield, he was the son of Peter Adam and Katherine (Fisher) Zimmerman. Peter was a graduate of Ashland University and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He worked at the Richland County Regional Planning Commission before becoming the City of Mansfield’s youngest Service Safety Director under the Richard Porter Administration. Newspaper headlines referred to Peter as the “Youth at Helm”. He and Mayor Porter have remained lifelong friends. In 1980, after Mayor Porter’s two terms, Peter went to work for United Telephone (Sprint). He lobbied at the State and Federal levels and served in Public Affairs with Sprint until he retired in 2005.

Peter was proud of his conservative values and worked continually to promote them. He was active in the Richland County Republican Party, serving as treasurer for a time. Peter worked on many political campaigns with one of his proudest moments being when he met and shook hands with Ronald Reagan. He also served on a board for U.S. Congressman Michael Oxley in the 4th Congressional District to make the appointments for the Service Academies.

Peter was very active in his community serving on 14 local and state boards and was chairman of several. Some of them included Heritage Ohio, the Renaissance Theater, the Chamber of Commerce, Main St. Mansfield, the Art Center, and the Visitors and Convention Bureau. He supported the Renaissance Theater attending both Broadway and Symphony series. Peter was the first recipient of the Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce “Business Leadership Award” presented at the Renaissance Theater with Frank Abagnale as speaker. He also was a volunteer for the Women’s Homeless Shelter in Wooster and served on the Main St. Wooster Board. Peter was a member of the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, Mansfield Liederkranz, the Sons of Herman, and a long time volunteer at St. Peter’s Catholic Church serving on the Parish Council. He has supported the Ohio State University Ohio Cooperative Extensive Service and assisted the Ohio Department of Development in many ways.

Peter was an excellent golfer and played to a single digit handicap. He golfed in the Greater Hartford Open professional golf tournament with golf pro Bob Murphy and TV personality Mike Douglas. Arnold Palmer and Bob Hope were in the foursome behind them. Peter was a member of the Athletic Club of Columbus, Westbrook Country Club, and Wooster Country Club. He was a youth and high school soccer referee.

Peter was a passionate and talented woodworker. His love of the 18th century reflected in his woodworking. Peter built many replicas of furniture and an outbuilding at his home and used those skills as a longtime volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. He loved and supported the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia having visited the 18th century colonial capital approximately 71 times. Peter was featured in the Dec/Jan 2008 issue of Birds & Blooms for a detailed copy of a Williamsburg colonial home as a birdhouse. But for all his accomplishments, Peter’s proudest was raising two fine sons.

Peter is survived by his wife of 41 years, Diana (Besch) Zimmerman; sons, David Michael (McKenzie) Zimmerman and Joseph Ryan Zimmerman; granddaughter, Phoebe Mae Zimmerman; and mother, Katherine Zimmerman. He was preceded in death by his father, Peter Adam Zimmerman and brother, USAF Cadet David Lee Zimmerman.

Peter was extremely happy with his long term care at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and encouraged registry with the stem cell/bone marrow donor program.

Friends may call Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd., Ontario. Mass of Christian burial will take place Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 104 W. 1st St., Mansfield, conducted by Father Tom McQuillen. Burial will follow in Mansfield Catholic Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter’s Catholic Church or Hospice of North Central Ohio.