John Bernard ZIMMERMAN

ZIMMERMAN, John Bernard
August 3, 1912 - December 9, 2014
Beloved husband to the late Emily (died 2008), father of Suzan and John (Helga), grandfather (Alexandra and Ryan) and great- grandfather (Emily). Beloved uncle, great- uncle and great-great uncle to so many in the Zimmerman, Dickey and Nunn families. Bern was an inspiration to many with his unfailing good humour and contentment with whatever life brought him. He was renowned for his garden, especially his glorious rhubarb and always-delicious tomatoes, which he shared with family and neighbours. He loved to play cribbage using the cribbage board he had made for his mom when he was just 17. We all learned by observing his techniques as we tried to avoid being skunked. After a long and successful career as a research scientist at the former Energy, Mines and Resources, Bern went on to a productive and lengthy retirement. Summers found him in the garden, and winters in his workshop. He had always built furniture, but when he retired he took a new direction and built musical instruments: guitars, dulcimers, irish harps, lutes and a mandolin. It was a great joy to him not only to play them himself, but to hear them played by nimbler hands. Our thanks to Dr. Lisa Cross who looked after him so very well these last few years. A Celebration of his life will be held at the Westboro Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes, 403 Richmond Rd. (at Roosevelt) on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 1 p.m. Donations to the Ottawa Mission and the Canadian Wildlife Federation would be welcome. Condolences, tributes or donations may be made at
www.tubmanfuneralhomes.com