Frank Robert Zimmerman Jr.

Frank Robert Zimmerman Jr., 92, of Gresham, passed away July 3, 2015 at home. Frank was born on December 18, 1922 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Frank and Wanda (Schurr) Zimmerman. He was the oldest of 4 children. Frank married his high school sweetheart, Iva Breuer in 1942. They raised their family in Phoenix Arizona. They moved to Gresham, Oregon several years after retirement in 1986. Frank served in the US Army during WWII where he earned the Purple Heart and the Bronze star following the infamous battle of Leyte in the South Pacific. He attended Wheaton College, and was a reporter for a local newspaper. Frank’s newspaper career started as a teen delivering papers in St. Paul. After WWII he became a stereotyper for the St. Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press. He continued his stereotyper career in Phoenix, Arizona for the Arizona Republic and Gazette. He retired from the paper at age 55. Frank described himself as social, having a great sense of humor, and was a life long democrat. When it came to politics he was always current and not afraid to share his views with others, which included writing and communicating with local representatives and the leaders of the country over the generations. Frank enjoyed his computer and communicating via email and face book into his 90's with friends and family. His current pass times included visiting his friends at Gresham Fred Meyer, an occasional trip to the casino, online horse betting, watching videos he had taken during his life, recording political shows for family and friends, and listening to the Gatlin Brothers. He loved photography and captured history via his camera lens. In his younger years he built a cabin he deemed the Zimmermanor in Northern Arizona. He was quite musical, playing the trumpet, trombone, guitar and organ. Many of the songs he learned and played by ear. He was an avid CB Radioman, enjoyed tinkering with lawnmowers, and traveled all over the United States visiting friends and family in his motor home with his beloved, Iva. His parents, Frank and Wanda; sisters, Gloria and Rosalie, and his wife of over 65 years, Iva, preceded Frank in death. He is survived by his children, Diane (Jim) Dyer, Kent (Kathy) Zimmerman, Richard (Kathy) Zimmerman; sister, Annette Zimmerman-Piper; 8 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; nieces and nephews and many others Frank considered family over the years. A committal service with military honors will be held in Willamette National Cemetery on Monday, September 14, 2015 at 12 noon.