Eugene Stanley Zimmer

June 16,1933 – February 4, 2015

Beloved brother, adored uncle, devoted patron of the arts, cherished friend and loving partner.

Gene Zimmer was born on June 16, 1933 and reared in Mobridge, South Dakota. He was the seventh of nine siblings. A lover of classical music, he played both the piano and the French Horn. Leaving rural South Dakota, he moved to Chicago in 1952 to study at Roosevelt University, where he became a Registered Medical Technologist (ASCP). In 1953 he met his life partner, Dr. Martin Funk, with whom he lived in Chicago for 22 years, moving together to the Washington DC area in 1974. Gene worked for 20 years in the labs for Group Health (which later was purchased by Humana, and then Kaiser Permanente), was promoted numerous times, and retired from a position where he was supervising all of the labs in the Washington DC area.

Gene was a passionate supporter of the arts in the greater Washington DC area, attending and supporting arts events in numerous venues.

Preceded in death by his parents, William D. and Lily Zimmer, three brothers and three sisters, and his 61-year partner, Martin Funk, he is survived by two sisters, Rosalie Travis and Kaye VanderVen, several nieces and nephews, and numerous loving friends.

Services will be held on Wednesday, February 11th at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 8710 Mount Vernon Highway in Alexandria. Visitation at 10 am, Funeral Mass at 11 am. Services under the direction of Demaine Funeral Home, Springfield, VA.