Jens Paul Zimmermann

Jens Paul Zimmermann, 73, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, January 17, 2015. He is survived by his wife Darice. Family in Germany include his brother Claus (wife Ursula) Zimmermann and sister Elke von Wedelstadt and numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces. His son, Jens Zimmermann, lives in Great Britain. Family in the United States include sisters- and brothers-in-law Reeda and Tim Hoefer and Kathryn and Kevin Brinks and niece and nephew Leah and Tyler Brinks. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Mathilde Zimmermann.

Jens wore many hats in his life. He was a German master gunsmith by trade and came to North America as a young man, immigrating first to Canada where he worked on the railroad in the Yukon Territory, as a lumberjack, and as a cook at a resort. He traveled Canada and the United States in an old VW bus with a friend from the Netherlands; they stopped and worked as they either needed money or wanted to spend some time in an area. They were migrant workers in the fields of California, worked in concessions at Dodger Stadium where they enjoyed the 1965 World Series, and visited friends in Watts . . . at the height of the Watts Riots . . . among other adventures. Jens loved travel and adventure. Jens settled on the East Coast for a period in the mid- to late-sixties where he worked on as a cook on Fire Island and as a gunsmith at Stoeger Arms and Firearms International. His favorite hat, however, was always a cowboy hat. He loved everything cowboy and western, and came to and settled in Colorado Springs, which has been his home for over 40 years.


Jens was proud to be a member of the Pikes Peak Range Riders and loved participating in their annual ride and other events. He also enjoyed working with the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo and any other activity that promoted and encouraged the western way of life. Music was always an important part of his life; several family members were professional musicians. He worked at the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Department for 25 years, and in that time held such jobs as managing the City Auditorium, the White House Ranch (now Rock Ledge Ranch), and health and safety issues for the department. I don’t think Jens ever met a person he didn’t like and got great enjoyment out of life. We spent the best 25 years of our lives together.


There will be a visitation at Swan Law Funeral Home, 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 22. Burial with graveside services will be at Evergreen Cemetery at 10:30 on Friday, January 23 followed by a reception/celebration of life at Patty Jewett Golf Course (approx. noon to 2:00 pm). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC.org) or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS.org); both are doing excellent research into beating cancers of all kinds and varieties.