Dorothy Helen Zimmerli

Dorothy Helen Zimmerli, daughter of Ray (W.R.) and Selma Marie (Peterson) Cook, was born on November 12, 1920, on a farm in Western Dickinson County, Iowa. Dorothy was the youngest of two children, having an older brother, Elwood.  Dorothy was baptized at the Excelsior Methodist Church. In 1934, the Cook family moved to a farm north of Lakefield. Dorothy attended Excelsior Consolidated School until she was a junior in high school, then attended Lakefield High School where she graduated in 1936. Dorothy worked at the Lakefield School for various teachers, while she took courses in secretarial work, that were not offered in her previous school. In 1938, she became employed at the former AAA office in Lakefield until 1941.  On June 8, 1941, Dorothy was united in marriage to Dana Zimmerli Jr. at the Methodist Church in Lakefield. Dana and Dorothy moved to Jackson and have been lifetime residents. While Dana served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946, Dorothy joined him in Waukegan, IL and worked at Abbot Laboratories and then on the Navy Base. In 1948-1949, she was a Montgomery Ward representative, until the program was discontinued. In fall of 1949, Dorothy started working for the Livewire Printing Company, in charge of the layout department for 33 years until November 12, 1982. Upon Dana Jr. passing in 2004, Dorothy remained active in the community and church. In 2007, Dorothy moved into the Pines Assisted Living in Jackson. After a fall in 2016, Dorothy became a resident of the Good Samaritan Society. On April 2, 2021, at the age of 100, Dorothy peacefully took the Lord’s Hand and entered her eternal life. 

Faith and Church were an important part of Dorothy’s life, beginning when she was a teenager. She has been a member of the Jackson United Methodist Church since 1941. She served on most committees in the local church, wrote tracts and histories, did the layout for all the cookbooks sold by the church women and was responsible for several larger cookbooks published in previous years. Dorothy served as the organist for 61 years at the Jackson Methodist Church, retiring in 2008. Church involvement went beyond the local church, as Dorothy served on the United Methodist Women State board, where she was a secretary for a period of years, and also the editor of the first newsletter put out by the organization in the late 1970’s. Dorothy was always concerned with the welfare and growth in the city of Jackson. She served on a number of local boards and agencies throughout the years, including the 21st Century Committee in the 60’s, the Good Samaritan board, and was an ardent supporter of the library where she was a charter member of the Friends of the Library. Dorothy supported her husband and son’s activities with the Scouts. Upon Dorothy’s retirement from the Livewire, she and Dana Jr. spent winters in their motor home, crisscrossing the 48 contiguous states a number or times. For a period of 10 years, most Springs and Falls were spent serving at a mission in Southeast Kentucky. Dorothy’s kind heart, faith, friendship, and commitment has been a blessing to all whom have had the privilege of knowing her and spending time with her.

Those left to mourn the passing of Dorothy are her son and daughter-in-law Dana Wayne (Ann) Zimmerli of Redondo Beach, California; granddaughters Tanya Zimmerli (Jon Cramer) of Reston, Virginia, and Christina (Adrian) Libertini of San Luis Obispo, California; great grandson Matthias Libertini, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Those meeting Dorothy at the heavenly gates are her husband Dana Jr., her parents Ray and Selma, and her brother Elwood.  

Blessed be the memory of Dorothy Helen Zimmerli.

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