James David “JD” Zimmer, born September 18, 1989 passed away suddenly on May 2, 2021.
Born in Buffalo, NY, he was the son of the late James David Zimmer, Sr. and Mary Pierce Channell.
JD graduated from Corning Painted Post East High School in New York. He vowed never to “wear long pants again” and relocated to the South in December 2019.
JD loved to grow his own vegetables, especially tomatoes and basil, with which he cooked delicious meals. He had a great love of nature and the outdoors and loved to hike and camp, but truly found his soul on the beach.
JD had been living in Sunset Beach, NC, since December 2019 and was proud to be there building a successful Real Estate career. After having considered the law or law enforcement as a career, he found his passion in real estate and was on the cusp of success, much loved and respected by clients and colleagues alike. He worked with the Coldwell Banker Seacoast Advantage Real Estate team. JD had a part-time job at Mellow Mushroom-just for fun.
Everyone who met JD was touched by him. He was loved and is missed by innumerable friends and family. JD’s caring nature was evident from a young age. The summer he was eleven, he took in two very young motherless kittens that a friend had found. JD bottle-nursed them every two hours for several weeks until they were strong and healthy. These kittens went on to become beloved family pets, Gita and Lily. If you talked with JD for more than a few minutes, you likely knew of his passion for music, something that he carried through his entire life. He loved to drive (too fast) and listen to his music (too loud), he loved his family and friends, and he loved life. His zest for life was contagious and inspiring in the most amazing ways. He was almost always too busy to send a text but never ever too busy to give a smile or a kind word.
JD is survived by his partner Sara Marie Tracy (her daughters Stacie and Heather); his devoted mother and stepfather, Mary and Fred Channell; sister Michelle Pierce; brother Matthew Zimmer; stepsister Helen Channell; nephew Joey Ribble; nieces MacKaylin and Cece Mayer; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He also leaves behind a number of close friends who were loved like brothers and sisters and who loved him just as much: Jen, Logan, Kate, Alley, Hep, Dustin, Shane, Gail...he touched so many lives and leaves many lost here without him.
He was predeceased by his father, James David Zimmer, Sr.
As a teen JD planned to join the Marine Corps with his best friend, Logan. That didn’t work out as JD was injured in a bad car accident before he made it, but he and Logan remained friends his entire adult life and his love for the discipline and honor that the Corps represented never faded for JD. We would ask that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Wounded Warrior Foundation in his honor.
A visitation for family and friends is planned from 10:00am-12:00pm on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at the Lee Funeral Home Chapel, 11840 Hwy. 90, Little River, SC. Covid protocol will be observed. A memorial and celebration of life will be held at a later date in his hometown of Corning, NY.
Memories and condolences may be left at www.leefhandcrematory.com
Lee Funeral Home and Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.
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