Obituary of J.Wayne Zimmer

J. Wayne Zimmer December 6, 1941 – October 11, 2017 It is with great sadness that we announce the death of J. Wayne Zimmer which occurred on October 11, 2017. Wayne, age 75, was our beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 49 years, Barb, his three sons, Christopher, Michael (Amanda) and Andrew (Megan) and his three adored grandchildren, Silas, Laurel and Asher. He is predeceased by his brother Rod, his mother Josephine, and father Joseph. Wayne was born in Kuroki, SK. He attended school in Kuroki and at St. Peter’s College in Muenster. Wayne convocated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Liberal Arts degree. Wayne’s life revolved around giving back to community at multiple levels . As a young man, Wayne demonstrated leadership while involved with Katimavik , Canada’s leading national youth service program . He was an integral part of SARC (Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centres) and co-founder of SARCAN, which gave meaningful employment to thousands of people with disabilities. He was dedicated to bringing the recycling program to SK, and often diverted family vacations with his young children in order to tour recycling centers across Canada and the US. Wayne was a longtime Liberal supporter alongside his brother, Senator Rodney A. A. Zimmer, and ran for the federal Liberal Party. He worked with Partners in Policymaking in Minnesota where he helped people with developmental disabilities and with Project HOPE in Missouri where he spearheaded initiatives to make affordable housing and education accessible to the less fortunate. His dedication to serving people knew no bounds as he traveled extensively leading delegations to places like the UK, Russia and Azerbaijan, to meet the Pope in Rome and was invited to President Clinton’s inauguration, all in the name of wanting to help people. Wayne was a faith-filled man and made sure everyone knew he was Catholic. He served on Holy Spirit Parish Council for years. Wayne and Barb are one of four founding families of Saskatoon’s Allegro Montessori School where his boys attended and his grandchildren now attend. He also fundraised for St. Peter’s College and the Diocese of Saskatoon. As a father, Wayne went to every soccer game, band concert, school play, acted as trip chauffeur for team travels and usually was the most boisterous and enthusiastic one in the crowd. Following retirement, much of Wayne’s leisure time was spent overseeing the boys work and their adventures on “the acreage.” In more recent years, he enjoyed spending time in Barb’s home town of Fredericktown, MO but his grandchildren are what brought him the most joy. He loved driving them around the acreage on his lap, playing piano and singing with them, and teaching them to count. Many of his favorite times were spent at home with his family while playing host and entertainer among friends at any number of birthday parties, BBQs and holiday bonfires.