Dr. Elmer Zinner

1929 - 2020

Dr. Elmer Zinner

Vestal, NY - Elmer Zinner died today, January 18th, 2020. As written by Dr. Zinner himself, His death was preceded by the death of Adam and Eve, Sarah and Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, and billions of other people. He was born on October 8, 1929, and when the country learned of his birth, the United States immediately went into a Great Depression. He survived this calamity and went on to graduate from Rutgers University and Hahnemann Medical College. Shortly thereafter he married the woman with whom he spent the next 63 years of his life…Faith. From this marriage many good things happened to them, the best being the birth of Cliff, Tanya, Eric, and Renee. They, in turn, brought ten wonderful grandchildren into his life--Kayla, Zachary, Mattison, Joshua, Ruby, Benjamin, Samson Lila, Audrey, and Molly. All of his children and grandchildren brought unbounded joy into his life. His sister and sister-in-law also survive him.

Following his service in the Air Force, he returned to finish his residency in Internal Medicine and his fellowship in Gastroenterology. The family then moved to Broome County and settled into their Vestal home for the remainder of his life. Elmer worked in the Medical Education Department at Wilson Hospital for over 40 years in various positions including Director of Internal Medicine, Director of Medical Education, Director of Transitional Residency, and Director of Gastroenterology. He was actively involved in teaching both the residents and the medical students at the Clinical Campus, where he was a Clinical Professor of Medicine. He helped to establish the first GI Lab in the Triple Cities, at Wilson Hospital. During his years at Wilson his numerous friends in the nursing department and administration, in addition to his medical colleagues, helped make his many years there both fruitful and very enjoyable. His community activities included being on the Boards of various local agencies, including the Broome County Nursing Home, Family and Children's Agency, Broome County Social Planning Council, NY-Penn Health Planning Council, and United Way.

Outside the usual family, occupational and community roles, he also enjoyed writing a weekly humor column, "As I See It", for the Sun-Bulletin. He later "graduated" to working as a gag writer for Johnny Hart and his Wizard of Id and B.C. comic strips. To fill in the remainder of his free time he wrote a play, The Computer Candidate, that was put on by the SUNY Binghamton theater department in the early 70s. More recently he wrote another play. The Unholy Trinity, which is still waiting to be produced by some bright, risk-taking producer. Tennis, biking, and racquetball are the activities he used to keep his body active when his mind was resting. He felt extremely fortunate to have lived a productive life surrounded by a loving family and caring friends and colleagues.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.SavageFS.com, arrangements were entrusted to SAVAGE-Demarco Funeral Service in Endicott.