Arlene F. Zimmer, 89, Cambridge City, passed away unexpectedly on Friday December 3, 2021. The daughter of the late A. Lincoln Zavertnik and Wilda Bell Zavertnik. Arlene was born in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, on January 29, 1932. She graduated in the class of 1950 from Webster Groves High School in Webster Groves, Missouri. She enjoyed swimming, fencing, field hockey, art, mechanical drawing, as well as tailoring and sewing. Arlene attended Aquatics School where she participated in synchronized swimming and lifeguard training. After high school, she was employed at F.W. Woolworth, and later at Famous-Barr, a department store in downtown St. Louis, working in alterations. Arlene met Clarence Zimmer at a church dance for G.I.’s from Scott Air Force Base, which was across the river in Illinois. They were married in October of 1952. They had been married 66 years until Clarence passed away in 2019. She was a homemaker and raised four children as she continued to sew and canning and freezing what was grown in the garden. She learned to drive later in life. After the nest was empty, she volunteered at the Boys and Girls club in Richmond. She later taught Sunday School at Trinity Lutheran Church in Indianapolis and was active with the women’s group there. After Clarence retired, they were active in the Indiana Lutherans for Life organization and traveled to conferences around the country. They moved back to Wayne County, to Cambridge City, where she continued to sew and swim. She made many laps at the Golay Center pool. She enjoyed watching all the wildlife around her home, anywhere she lived. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Connersville.
Survivors, include her children; daughter Sylvia J. (Jim) Russell of Tampa FL, and sons Roger D. (Miriam) Zimmer of Dublin, and Karl R. (Elizabeth) Zimmer of Richmond; Grandsons Phil (Katie) Russell of Gainesville, VA, and Andrew G. (Casey) Zimmer of Richmond. There are three great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Clarence, and a son Gregory A. Zimmer.
Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the funeral services at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday December 11, 2021 at Bethany Lutheran Church, the Rev. Gene Ott will officiate. Burial will follow at Elkhorn Cemetery, South of Richmond.
Memorial contributions can be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, 2907 Virginia Ave, Connersville, IN 47331 or the national organization of Lutherans For Life, 1101 5th Street, Nevada, IA 50201 or https://lutheransforlife.org .
Marshall & Erlewein Funeral Home, Dublin, has been entrusted with the arrangements, where online condolences can be made at www.marshallanderleweinfuneralhome.com