Adele Zimmerman Obituary

A memorial service for Adele Zimmerman will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, at Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester. The Rev. C. John Steer will officiate. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Mrs. Zimmerman, 71, died Friday, Aug. 26, at her home near Rochester. 

Adele taught fifth grade for seven years and then was a learning disability specialist for three years while Ken attended dental school at the University of Minnesota. She was a stay-at-home mom while raising four children and then founded the LTC Insurance Agency in 2000. 

Adele loved teaching and had a great influence on children, especially junior high learning disabled students, some of which had very difficult backgrounds. She called one of the eighth-grade students with second-grade reading ability every morning to come to school. If Adele did not call, Tony did not come. He later was asked to speak to a group of administrators and the school board to tell how he learned to read and got back on track in his life. 

Adele's home was always ready for Ken to come home from the dental office and have dinner ready. Her family regularly had long dinner conversations which were the highlight of the growing up years. Adele home-schooled all four children and her family traveled to learn what America was really like. There was a two-hour discussion while driving across Colorado whether it would be better to live near Atlanta, Tucson, other states, or Minnesota. Minnesota won the debate. All four children and 13 grandchildren live within 9 miles of Adele's home. 

Adele and Ken celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 20, just six days before she passed away.

Adele was friend, mentor and often times a substitute mom for a list of high school girls and young women. Several young people lived in her home for extended periods of time. Most of them are still family friends. Perhaps the biggest thing that they learned was hospitality and caring for other people. Adele taught by example and hands-on experience that was example by participation.

Adele's primary focus the last few years was her 13 grandchildren, now ages 3 weeks to 19 years.  They have loved to stay at grandpa and grandma's house and to start taking trips with great frequency.

Adele's two hobbies were gardening and walking with friends. She walked 5 to 6 miles a day with Jason and Kimberly's family while on a trip to a friend's cabin when Ken was fishing in Canada at the end of June. Ken and Adele went on a long walk when they got home at the end of June. The focus of conversation was anticipating baby Grace, their 50th anniversary and planning a trip to St. George, Utah, with Shem and Joy this winter. Also, a thoughtful talk that as we looked over 50 years: there were no serious regrets, certainly nothing to do differently, and no thought of more things that were missed in our lives.   


We received the news that Adele had advanced cancer on July 15. In the end, there was no possible treatment, even chemotherapy was not possible due to very poor liver function. Adele was at home until the end and was kept out of pain and nausea almost all of the time. She gave several big hugs and smiles on Wednesday afternoon, was quite comatose on Thursday and passed away peacefully with Ken by her side about 3 a.m. Friday. 

It is the family wish that her life will remain and testimony and encouragement to all the people that knew her. Adele's life was a life well lived with only the regret of not having more time for her family.


Adele is survived by her husband, Kenneth D. Zimmerman; three sons, Jonathan (Stacie) Zimmerman of Rochester, Jason (Kimberly) Zimmerman of Rochester; Justin (Amanda) Zimmerman of Stewartville; a daughter, Joy (Shem) Horsley of Rochester; 13 grandchildren, Noah, Colton, Pierce, Christopher, Dakota, and Hope Zimmerman, Brady, Kasana, Hudson, and Jolee Zimmerman, Autum, and Wesley Zimmerman, and Grace Horsley. Also surviving are two brothers, Albert (Nancy) Faupel, and Eldon (Diane) Faupel; and a sister, Ardith Nelson.

Adele was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Esther Faupel.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff of Seasons Hospice, and if so desired, memorials given in memory of Adele may be directed to Seasons Hospice.

Online tributes are being welcomed and may be written at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.