Mary Faith Zimmermann

A native of Ste. Geneviève, Missouri, Mary Faith McCain was born on May 7, 1934, one of 11 children of Gilbert and Zora McCain. After graduating from Herculaneum High School, she served in the Women’s Army Corps as a dental hygienist at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

In 1953, Mary McCain married Wesley Joseph Zimmermann, a longtime member of Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 36 in St. Louis. After Wes completed his Air Force service in Denver, they moved back home to Jefferson County, Missouri with their young children David and Rebecca. After moving to Missouri, Mary and Wes had three more children: Mark, James and Julie. Wes and Mary were married for 62 years, until his death in 2016. They were longtime members of St. Joseph Parish in Kimmswick, now Imperial, Missouri. In addition to their five children, they had 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mary was proud of her children and grandchildren and their accomplishments, and also proud of local educational and civic institutions like Mastodon State Historic Site in Imperial, Jefferson College in Hillsboro and the public library in Barnhart. She volunteered at local elections, at the now-closed St. Pius X Benedictine Abbey in Pevely, Missouri, at a science fair for students in the county and as an adult leader with a 4-H group. Mary also assisted her parents and other elderly neighbors living near her home in the country, and liked to quote her father, who said, “That’s why we’re put on Earth, to help people.”

Mary was also known for her outgoing personality and her ability to strike up a conversation with anyone she happened to meet, whether that be with the cashier at the local grocery store, or in chance encounters at airports with baseball great Stan Musial or civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.

In her last days, Mary’s advice to her children was, “Love each other.”

Mary Zimmermann is survived by four of her five children: David (Christee) Zimmermann of Holts Summit, Missouri; Mark (Carol) Zimmermann of Germantown, Maryland; and by James (Linda) Zimmermann and Julie Zimmermann of Edwardsville, Illinois. She is also survived by three living siblings: Jessie (Paul) Frey of Silver Spring, Maryland; George (Carol) McCain of Barnhart, Missouri; and Leonard (Janice) McCain of Clifton, Texas. Mary’s 14 grandchildren include Michelle (Jermaine) Kinder, Dan (Jennie) Zimmermann, Derek (Charlee) Zimmermann, Kevin (Judy) Walsh, Jason Walsh, Regina Walsh, Ryan (Michael) Walsh, Joe Zimmermann, Anna (Tareq) Albusaidi, Matt Zimmermann, William Zimmermann, Eric Zimmermann, James Holt and Henry Holt; and she is survived by eight great-grandchildren: Noah Kinder, Elias Kinder, Christopher Walsh, Aiden Walsh, Zoe Zimmermann, Naomi Zimmermann, Lucy Zimmermann and Lily Zimmermann. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Mary Zimmermann was preceded in death by her husband, Wes Zimmermann and her parents, Gilbert and Zora McCain, and by her daughter, Rebecca Hassell. She was also preceded in death by seven siblings: Jack (Vivian) McCain, Dana (Denzel) Lemmon, Ann (John) Sydik, Helen (Bob) Crane, Freda (Joe) Courtaway, Jim (Kay) McCain, and Joe (Paula) McCain.

A graveside prayer service for Mary Zimmermann will be held on Friday March 8, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Cemetery located at the intersection of Montebello Road and Montebello Camp Road in Imperial, Missouri.