KATHLEEN ZIMMER

Kathleen Kittredge Zimmer, age 90, of DeKalb, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 8, 2023 and is now at home in Heaven.

She was born on August 19, 1932 in Amityville, New York to proud and loving parents, Elroy and Catherine Kittredge.

Kathleen graduated from Wellington C. Mepham High School in Bellmore, NY at the age of 16.

She was united in marriage to her best friend and love of her life, Richard Zimmer April 20, 1972 in Sycamore, IL, blending their family to eventually include four daughters and two step-sons.   

Kathleen moved from New York to Illinois in about 1951.  She was a secretary throughout the years at DuKane and Armour Dial and for Ruby Frank at Franks Employment Service.  She and Ruby became fast friends and maintained their friendship even after she left the employment service to start her own business.  In later years she would drive Ruby down to her winter home every year and return in the spring to drive her back.  She had her own oversize truck escort business.  She absolutely loved this part of her life as she loved to travel, and what better way to travel than to get paid for it.  She was called the human GPS, she could tell you how to get almost anywhere in the U.S. from the top of her head, even telling you mile markers of where to exit.  Got lost? Just call and she would get you turned around and back on the right road in a jiffy just by telling her where you were.

She and Richard traveled to many different places together in their years of marriage.  They traveled throughout the U.S. to see family and friends.   They loved the Virgin Islands and traveled to Florida frequently through the years.  After Richard passed, she continued to travel with her good friend Carol.  Taking trips to Hawaii, a Panama Canal Cruise, and a couple of bus trips along the way.  She went on a surprise trip with her sister and 3 of her daughters to Ireland for her 75^th birthday present.

She loved to spend time with family and friends.  Impromptu Sunday dinners or a road trip to antique stores?  She had her shoes on and was on her way out the door before the phone call ended.  When she wasn’t spending time with family or friends, she was an avid reader.  She also liked to play Word Feud with Sharon and her granddaughter Beth, many times having 10 puzzles going at once.

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Arvin Anderson, her husband Richard Zimmer, her brother Lawrence Kittredge, and her great granddaughter Hailey Jones. Her brother-in-law Louis Picinich passed away two days after her.

She leaves behind her daughters Deborah (James) Seyller, Sharon Hanan (Kris Hajak), Cynthia (Jeffery) Wellendorf, Stacey (Gary) Drake and 2 stepsons John and Edward Zimmer.  Her sister Lynn Picinich, sister-in-law Betsy Kittredge, Niece Renee (Kathy Picha) Kittredge, and nephew Craig (Shelly) Picinich.

Together Richard and Kathleen had 16 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

There will be an open house Celebration of Life for her on June 3, 2023, at The Silver Spur from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. There will be a small service at 4:30 PM. Please join us in celebrating her 90 years of life and sharing stories with us to celebrate her life. Donations can be made in Kathleen’s name to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,  https://www.stjude.org/donate. Memories and tributes may be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.