Matthew Harvey Zimmermann III

Matthew H. Zimmermann, 85, was called home to the Lord on Sept. 15, 2012, at Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX, after battling several health issues for the past few years. He died one day short of his 63rd wedding anniversary with his beloved wife, Barbara Connell Zimmermann. Matt was born on Jan. 19, 1927, in New York City, the only child of Matthew H. Zimmermann Jr. and Mary Regina Gertrude Fink. Matt was the great-grandson of William S. Devery, the last superintendent of the New York City Police Department police commission and the city's first police chief in 1898. Devery also was renowned as owner of the New York Highlanders, the American League baseball club, and sold it for $300,000 in 1915 to Jacob Ruppert Jr., who renamed the team The New York Yankees. Matt moved to Fairway, KS, in 1942 and except for three years in Kansas City, MO, and the past one in Spring, TX, was a resident of Johnson County, KS. He graduated as a National Honor Society member from Southwest High School in 1944, where he lettered in football. He enrolled at the University of Kansas and pledged Phi Delta Theta. Shortly thereafter he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served 14 months as an Electronics Technician Mate Third Class in 1945 and 1946. After World War II he returned to KU, was elected to the Owl Society, the Quill Club and Alpha Phi Omega, and graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1949. On Sept. 16 of that year, he married the love of his life, Barbara Connell, the daughter of the prominent Kansas City physician Dr. Evan S. Connell. Matt worked all of his life in construction, first for Natkin and Co. where he supervised the mechanical work at several sewer, water and concrete plants. He also was the lead manager on the Environmental Air Conditioning project for Wing 1V of the Minuteman Missile project in Sedalia, Mo. In 1972, he formed his own company, M. H. Zimmermann, Inc., and specialized in office building projects until he retired in 1989. Matt was active in civic affairs for several years, serving four years in the 1970s as mayor of Mission Hills and eight years on the Mission Hills city council. He was a member of the Johnson County Airport Commission for three years and chairman of the Johnson County Council of Mayors for one year. He also served as president of the Missouri State Easter Seal Society and the Jackson County Easter Seal Society. He loved playing tennis at the Mission Hills Country Club, where he was a longtime member. He also loved learning throughout his life. He enjoyed the challenge of math problems and crossword puzzles. One of his favorite Christmas gifts was the unabridged version of the Random House Dictionary of the English Language. Matt was a member of the Mercury Club, the Vanguard Club, Mid-America Mensa, the International Society of Philosophical Enquiry and the Triple Nine Society. Survivors include his wife Barbara Connell Zimmermann of Spring, TX, two daughters, Donna (Michael) Waller of Hilton Head Island, SC, and Janet Snyder of Spring, TX, one son, the Rev. Matthew S. Zimmermann (Cate) of Lawrence, KS, a brother-in-law, the renowned author Evan S. Connell of Santa Fe, NM, 6 granddaughters, Lara (Manuel) Hernandez of Spring, TX, Heather Kean of Fort Myers, FL, Aubrey (Gavin) Parr of Woodbridge, IL, Madelaine (Keegan) Fitzgerald of Lawrence, KS, Katharine Waller of Boston and Kelsey Zimmermann of Atlanta, and 9 great- grandchildren. A public memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 29, at Mount Moriah and Freeman Funeral Home at 10507 Holmes Road in Kansas City, MO. Burial in Mount Moriah Cemetery.