Ellen Kay Zimmer

Ellen Kay Zimmer, 77, of Elizabeth, Arkansas, passed away on Monday, June 17, 2024, in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Ellen was born to Foster Diderich and Evelyn (Nelson) Diderich on July 23, 1946, in Janesville, Wisconsin. 

Ellen was united in marriage to David Leon Zimmer on September 4, 1974, in Caulfield, Missouri, and to this loving union three children were born (Mathew Leon Zimmer, Jesse Lynn Zimmer, and Jeremy David Zimmer). She and David had been married for forty-nine years. Ellen was a registered nurse for many years. She completed nursing school at Cal State Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California. She later enlisted in the Army during Vietnam and served as a field nurse. She worked as a nurse at Fort Leonard Wood and Baxter Regional Medical Center. She loved nursing and greatly enjoyed teaching nursing courses at Ozarka College. She helped found the nursing program at Ozarka College in Melbourne, Arkansas. She was instrumental in helping establish online nursing classes for Arkansas State University and the satellite campuses. Many nursing students over the years have known her fondly as Ms. Z. She was a published author assisting with the writing of nursing textbooks and helping write the Arkansas State Board of Nursing Exams. She was very proud of her nursing career and accomplishments. Nursing was just one of her many passions in life. She never missed an opportunity to visit with family and friends. She had great interest in family lineage. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were very special and dear to her. She loved doing her artwork, sketching, and painting. Ellen greatly enjoyed traveling, going on her casino trips, shopping, spending time with her son, grandkids, and great grandkids. Ellen enjoyed planning holiday celebrations and decorating for them. She was always encouraging her grandkids to work hard in their studies and to try new things in life. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, friend, and was a member of the Elizabeth Baptist Church in Elizabeth, Arkansas. 

Ellen leaves to mourn her passing, husband, David Zimmer of Elizabeth, Arkansas; son, Mathew Zimmer (Vena) of West Plains, Missouri; four grandchildren, Azlee Zimmer, Haydn Zimmer, Syndie Zimmer, and Madeline Brown; three great grandchildren, Lillie Brown, Hayes Zimmer, and Oaklie Zimmer; daughter-in-law, Shelly Zimmer of Mountain Home, Arkansas; sister, Janice Chapman of Elizabeth, Arkansas; brother, Richard Diderich of Sugarloaf, California; many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by two sons (Jesse Zimmer and Jeremy Zimmer), parents (Foster and Evelyn (Nelson) Diderich), sister (Darlene Frederick), and in laws (Leon and Azlee (Campbell) Zimmer). 

Funeral services will be at 2:00 P.M. Friday, June 21, 2024, at Barker Funeral Home in Salem, Arkansas with Bro. Warren Newman officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until time-of-service Friday, June 21, 2024, at Barker Funeral Home in Salem, Arkansas. The interment will be in the Elizabeth Cemetery in Elizabeth, Arkansas. Pallbearers will be Jerell Zimmer, Haydn Zimmer, Darrell Zimmer, Michael Zimmer, David Shelly, and Steve Bolka. Memorials may be given to the Wounded Warriors Project. Arrangements are under the direction of Barker Funeral Home in Salem, Arkansas.