Joseph E. Zimmerman

1880 - 1949  (69 years)

• Name	Joseph E. Zimmerman  [1, 2, 3]
  Birth	19 Mar 1880	Chenoa, McLean Co., IL   [2, 4]
  Gender	Male
  CLER	Y
  Death	15 Dec 1949	Milford, Seward Co., NE   [2]
  Burial	Milford, Seward Co., NE
  	East Fairview Cemetery
  Person ID	I5342	Schrock-Birkey Connection
  Last Modified	25 Jul 2018

  
  

  Father	Christian Zimmerman
  Mother	Rose Eicher
  Family ID	F8241	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Mary Ellen Yordy,   b. 24 Jul 1882, Washington, Tazewell Co., IL d. 27 Mar 1929, Milford, Seward Co., NE (Age 46 years)
  Marriage	8 Jan 1899	Milford, Seward Co., NE   [1]
  Children	1. Paul Zimmerman   2. Milo Eugene Zimmerman,   b. 1900   3. Myrtle Helen Zimmerman,   b. 1904   4. Stella Marie Zimmerman,   b. 1912
  Family ID	F3628	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Jan 2018

  
  

  Family 2	Phoebe Yeackley,   b. 11 Apr 1887, Milford, Seward Co., NE d. 27 Mar 1975, Milford, Seward Co., NE (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	15 Apr 1930	Thurman, Washington Co., CO
  Family ID	F6216	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Jun 2012

  
  

• Event Map

  Load the map

  Birth - 19 Mar 1880 - Chenoa, McLean Co., IL Marriage - 8 Jan 1899 - Milford, Seward Co., NE Marriage - 15 Apr 1930 - Thurman, Washington Co., CO Death - 15 Dec 1949 - Milford, Seward Co., NE Burial - - Milford, Seward Co., NE  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Obit: Zimmerman. --- Joseph E., son of Christian and Rosa (Eicher) Zimmerman, was born near Chenoa, Ill., March 19, 1880; passed away Dec. 15, 1949; aged 69 y. 8 m. 26 d. When he was one year old his parents moved to Milford, Nebr., where he lived the remaining years of his life, except for fourteen ears spent at Wood River, Nebr. At the age of seventeen he accepted Christ as Saviour and united with the East Fairview Mennonite Church. On Jan. 8, 1899, he was married to Mary Yordy, who passed away March 27, 1929. Having been left homeless quite young, he was especially sympathetic toward homeless children, and they opened their home to 3 children, whom they adopted. In 1906 they moved to Wood River, where he was ordained to the ministry Aug. 27, 1906; he was a charter member of the congregation there. Later the responsibilities of bishop were added, and he was ordained to that office Dec. 9, 1916. In 1920, he was called to serve the East Fairview Church at Milford. On April 15, 1930, he was married to Phoebe Yeackley. Their home was opened to 2 grandchildren. Surviving are his wife 3 children (Milo, Seward, Nebr.), Myrtle-Mrs. William Bender and Stella-Mrs. Herman Reil, Milford, Nebr.), 10 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, one brother (Jake), 3 sisters (Mrs. Amos Jantzi, Mrs. Henry Stauffer, Mrs. L. O. Schlegel), 2 half sisters (Mrs. Lee Schweitzer and Mrs. Emery Schweitzer), and 4 stepbrothers (Menno, John, and William, all of Milford; and Perry, Aurora, Ohio). He was instrumental in ordaining 3 bishops, 12 ministers, and 12 deacons, all but three of these in Nebraska. He loved singing and frequently requested special hymns for the church service. It was characteristic of him to read verses of hymns as an introduction to his sermons. He was concerned about others, materially and spiritually, not thinking of self. He weighed making decisions. For forty-three years he served willingly and sacrificially in the ministry. Funeral services were conducted by Maurice Yoder and Perry Blosser, assisted by P. R. Kennel, W. A. Eicher, Joe Hershberger, Alvin Gascho, Edd Hershberger, Edward Diener, Edward Yoder, Lee Schlegel, Ezra Roth, George Miller, Sam Oswald, A. M. Miller, and Merle Bender. About one thousand people attended the service.

  
  

• Sources

  [S11] Obituaries of Individuals. [S561] Yordy/Yotty Connections. [S1060] Find-A-Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19317788/joseph-e.-zimmerman. [S750] The Jakob Jordi Family History, Place.