Zimmerly, Glenn Everett (1934-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Oct 16 p. 20

Birth date: 1934 Jul 24

text of obituary:

GLENN ZIMMERLY

Glenn Everett Zimmerly, 72, of Orrville, Ohio, died Aug. 25, 2006. He was born July 24, 1934, to Velma Olive Steiner and Aldine J. Zimmerly.

He grew up in the faith community of Crown Hill Mennonite Church and was baptized Oct. 28, 1945. He attended Goshen (Ind.) College for a year and completed his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education at Ohio State University, graduating in 1956.

He married Martha Lucille Miller on Aug. 18, 1956.

They both taught for several years in the Mount Gilead area and attended Mount Gilead Mennonite Church. In 1959-62, they served in with Mennonite Central Committee in Indonesia. Those years strengthened his call to service and to cross-cultural relationships.

When they returned from Indonesia, he resumed teaching and studying. He graduated from Ohio State University with a master’s degree in agricultural education in 1964. When a vocational agriculture teaching position opened at Orrville High School, he took over the family farm and joined Orrville Mennonite Church. He taught vocational agriculture and served as the Future Farmers of America adviser until 1990, receiving an Ohio Teacher of the Year award in 1983. He actively farmed until 1994. He maintained a full life with MCC board work, Young Farmers groups, world travel and welcoming new Lao immigrants in the Orrville area.

They continued their life of service in Albania from 1994-2001, serving under Eastern Mennonite Missions with support from MCC. There he worked with local farmers to found a marketing cooperative that flourishes today. A Bible study group they helped begin has grown to a church.

Martha died in 2002. He married Dorothy Williams on June 5, 2004. They traveled to Indonesia in the summer of 2005.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; a daughter, Jeanne Jantzi and her husband, Daniel, of Indonesia; a son, Miles Zimmerly and his wife, Ruth, of Ontario; and five grandchildren.

Memorial services were held at Orrville Mennonite Church. Burial was in Crown Hill Mennonite Church Cemetery in Rittman.