Doris Mae Zimmerman

DORIS MAE (SWENSON) ZIMMERMAN

Doris Mae (Swenson) Zimmerman, 93, of Rockford, Ilinois passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at Rosewood Care Center in Rockford. She was born September 18, 1924 in Blanchardville, Wisconsin, the only daughter of Leonard and Hattie (Hendrickson) Swenson.

She is survived by her son Dr. Bradley (Claudia) Ewald; her daughter Lynda Martin; step-children Janine (Patrick) Cleary, Rebecca Linares, Michele (Dr. Dennis) Doyle, Gene "Skip" Zimmerman, Jr., Mary Lisa Zimmerman, Laurel (Steve) King, John Zimmerman; twenty-one grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband, Gene J. Zimmerman, Sr.; her parents and three brothers, Ludell, Burnell, and Robert Swenson.

In the early 1940's she left her family's dairy farm in the rolling hills of Southern Wisconsin to live with an Aunt in Madison, Wisconsin, working as a waitress. The job allowed her to meet a young University of Wisconsin graduate, Harold Ewald. As WWII began, the couple set off for employment at the huge Willow Run Bomber Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, building the B-24
Bombers. Doris was an inspector. Harold was a skilled welder. They were married on May 2, 1943. Their only son, Bradley was born in 1945 and daughter Lynda in 1947. Several moves brought the family to various cities for Harold's teaching career, in Wisconsin and Illinois, including Janesville and finally in Rockford. In 1955-1970's Doris was a single mother, working multiple jobs, raising & supporting two teens. Many years at National Lock of Rockford and finally a long working career at Belvidere's Chrysler plant found her energy, her smile, and her outgoing personality to be a pleasure for any team to be around.

Doris's return to rural family life began when the love of her life, Gene J. Zimmerman, Sr. proposed that he add to her family of two children and officially, on their wedding day, November 25, 1972 at Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford, Doris added two sons and five daughters to the family circle. Their farm in Rochelle, Illinois was not only a high volume producer of tomatoes for national labels, but also the supplier for product at the Zimmerman's Farm Products outdoor market, in Rochelle. Her high energy and broad smile could also be seen as Doris rode the planters and machinery in the hot, sunny fields, preparing the crops for market. Husband Gene and Doris moved to their current Rockford residence in 2002. There, her greatest joy was in cooking, baking, and entertaining the family she loved so much. The family would like to thank the staff at Rosewood Care Center for their care and compassion.

A visitation will be held from 12-1 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2018, followed by a memorial service at 1 pm at Fitzgerald Funeral Home Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd., Rockford, Il. 61108. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The American Cancer Society in memory of Doris and Gene Zimmerman. Send online condolences to www.fitzgeraldfh.com