SPRINGFIELD – Donald J. Zimmermann, 82, of Springfield, was Called Safely Home on Sunday, April 2, 2017. He passed into Eternal Life at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family. He was born in Worcester, MA on January 21, 1935, the beloved son of the late William S. and Jeanne L. (Levasseur) Zimmermann. He was raised in Worcester, graduated Worcester schools and had lived in Orange, MA. He later moved to Holyoke in 1966 and moved to Springfield in the late 1980’s where he lived the remainder of his life. He was last employed as a longtime race track announcer at the Hinsdale Raceway in Hinsdale, NH. He also worked as a radio announcer and disc jockey and went by his radio personality name of “Don Zimmer” for many years at local radio stations in Worcester, Orange and at WREB in Holyoke. He also worked as a weatherman and news broadcaster for WRLP. Above all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and many friends. He leaves his three loving children, Carol Zimmermann and Debbie Lee Czerniak, both of Chicopee and David P. Zimmermann and his wife, Melanie, of Hickory, NC; his nine cherished grandchildren, Matthew Czerniak and his wife, Jessica, of East Longmeadow, Sarah Czerniak of Chicopee, David P. Zimmermann, Jr. of Denver, NC, Haley Bentley and her husband, Casey, of Lenoir, NC, Corey Zimmermann of Denver, NC, Maurissa Zimmermann of Winston-Salem, NC, Sallie Arias and her husband, Johnny, of Sterling, VA and Lauren Huffman and Catie Brown, both of Hickory, NC; his 16 cherished great-grandchildren; his former wife, Essie Idella (Serijanian) Grass of Denver, NC; and his many dear friends and extended members of the Zimmermann family. His funeral and burial will be private at the convenience of his family. His funeral arrangements are entrusted to the St. Pierre-Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels, (413-532-9806), 13 Dale Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. For those who prefer, his family requests that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Children’s Miracle Network at Baystate Medical Center, 280 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199. For more details, please visit:
www.stpierrephaneuf.com