Ethel Zimmerer

Ethel Zimmerer was born on 1/3/22 in Berwyn, IL, the only child of Dickey Ambrose DePue and Genevieve Ethel Warner DePue, and graduated from Oak Park and River Forest Township High in Illinois in 1939. On September 13, 1941, she married Leonard Edwin Crane in Oak Park, Illinois. Twelve years into the marriage, after finally deciding to live their lives "as if" they were not going to have any children, they found out they were expecting and Beverly Ann was born prematurely into this world on March 29, 1953.Around 1955, the Cranes began building a home in the suburb of Mt. Prospect and moved there until Leonard accepted a transfer to open a district sales office in Phoenix, AZ in 1962. So, that summer, the Cranes purchased their first ever car with air conditioning and drove to Phoenix. After a year of living in a cramped, swamp-cooled apartment, with the majority of their belongings in storage, the finally settled on purchasing a ranch-style house near 32nd St. & Camelback, with a lovely view of Camelback mountain from the living room window.Ethel became involved in the Daughter's of the Nile organization, transferred her membership from 1st Methodist Church of Phoenix to Aldersgate Methodist Church, which was closer to their new home and attended the local junior college taking secretarial courses part-time. She also volunteered for the Salvation Army and they liked her so much as a volunteer that they hired her as an administrative assistant to one of the top Salvation Army Captains in the state. She later became Leonard's right-hand gal and home office manager, when his company had him move his office into their home to save expenses.In 1972, a few short months after their daughter stated her freshman year at the University of AZ in Tucson, Leonard's company sold and his job ended. Ethel immediately secured a job as a store manager for a card & party shop in Town & Country shopping center, while Leonard worked on obtaining his Real Estate License, a profession he was never able to make a living wage performing. Following their daughter's marriage to Carl Nichols of Tucson, AZ in the fall of 1973, Ethel was offered a position working for an elementary school district as a computer operator, inputting daily attendance census from several schools in that district. She thoroughly enjoyed her work, as well as her co-workers, with whom she formed life-long friendships. Her joy was multiplied when Beverly and her husband moved back into Arizona in 1979. In the Spring of 1983, Leonard was having health issues, the result being a diagnosis of terminal cancer. He passed into his eternal rest on June 1, 1983. In 1987, family members, who were related to Ethel's next door neighbor, introduced her to Robert Zimmerer of Harrisburg, PA. A whirlwind courtship ensued and in April 1988, Bob's son, Scott, married them at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Plano, TX where he worked as the youth pastor. On their trip to Phoenix after the wedding, their car broke down and they were stranded in west Texas for a week. Following their return to Phoenix, they hosted a family and friends reception in Arizona and then in the spring, they moved to Pennsylvania. For the eight years of their marriage they spent the winters in AZ and the summers in PA, with the exception of two winters when they returned to PA to attend the family Thanksgiving gathering. They enjoyed traveling both nationally and internationally, elder hostels, volunteering at the local food banks, dining with friends and relatives, playing games and Bob's grandchildren. Shortly following his death in January 1996. While in Pennsylvania, Ethel moved back into the home they had built in Sun City West, spending time with her friends and daughter.Ethel enjoyed getting together with friends weekly to play Hand & Foot (a Canasta-type card game), playing Bocce on a league and attending several social events such as dances, plays, movies, craft shows, water aerobics, elder hostels and group travel. She also enjoyed entertaining friends and family who would visit AZ in the winter, when she would share the fruit from their citrus trees. She loving cared for those trees, as well as several rose bushes & had a lifelong love of puttering in the garden. When long time friends from Illinois moved to Sun City West, she & Bob spent a significant amount of time helping them get acclimated to a new climate. Upon Bob's death, this friendship grew until the wife had to be placed in a lockdown facility, due to her tendency to wander. At that point, Ethel began to assist the husband, Edward (Pete) Peterson by having him over for dinner on a regular basis. That relationship grew and after the death of Pete's wife a few years later, they decided to move into a split bedroom independent senior living apartment at The Heritage Tradition, sharing expenses. They were together, enjoying their retirement for about 6 years, when Pete had a rather short illness and died. Ethel then moved into a smaller apartment in the same building, since she was enjoying the amenities there such as delicious food, numerous card games, including Hand & Foot, stimulating group discussions and lectures, regular trips to the casino, worship services, movies, Bible studies, dating, dancing, dining out and many other seasonal activities and events. This continued until the Spring of 2015, when at her daughter's urging, she moved closer to her daughter to an assisted living facility that was just opening in Gilbert called The Oaks. While there, she enjoyed making new friends, playing Hand & Foot, other card games and the tile game, Rummikub, attending various performances, in addition to many other group activities. About 10 months prior to her death, Ethel asked Beverly to move in with her since she was recuperating from an illness and the loss of her job. Beverly moved into her mother's apartment to assist her with her activities of daily living, such as showering, laundry & all medical issues, appointments & medication management. At the time of her death, Ethel was recuperating from acute bronchitis and the flu at a rehabilitation facility where she aspirated. A mere week before she passed, Ethel was determinedly playing a complete game of double-nine dominos in the rehabilitation facility. Her motto was: ENJOY LIFE - It Has An Expiration Date! She aspirated, a day after that game, got pneumonia and sepsis, had no strength left to fight and started to fade. She passed peacefully, with family and friends by her side. She will be sorely missed.A Celebration of Life was held at The Oaks Assisted Living in Gilbert on February 6, 2018 and a second Celebration of Life and internment will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 3 PM at her home church: Crown of Life Lutheran, 13131 W Spanish Garden Dr, Sun City West, AZ 85375 (623) 546-6228In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your local Food Bank, Help Hospitalized Veterans (two of her favorite charities) or to her daughter, who is setting up a memorial fund in her honor.