Gail Dean Zimmerman

Gail Dean Zimmerman was born on February 9, 1933 in Dodge City, Kansas to Ezra and Loretta Zimmerman. At the age of 92, he departed this life on July 30th 2025 from an infection of the gallbladder. He was the oldest child of four siblings. Gail attended primary school in Dodge City, Kansas and high school in Wauneta, Nebraska. After serving in the Army during the Korean War, he earned degrees at McCook College, Chadron State Teacher's College and Nebraska State College before receiving a Master’s degree at the University of Montana and a Ph.D. at the University of Wyoming in Physiology and Microbiology.

After concluding his military service, Gail married Lois Beezley on August 22,1954. They adopted three children; Rhonda, Michael, and Mitchel, and in 1969, they had their 4th child, Renee Zimmerman. Lois passed away from breast cancer in August of 1975. Gail continued to raise their 4 children on his own until he met and married Anne Dudley Templeton in 1980. Together, they raised their four teenagers, and they even became guardians for 2 bonus teens during those years.

Dr. Zimmerman held many jobs over his lifetime including farm hand, gas station attendant, truck driver, artilleryman, water quality manager, outfitter, high school teacher, and director of the Werner Wildlife Museum. He was a professor of Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology at Casper College for 23 years where he published multiple scientific papers and was fondly known as Dr. Z. He was a Republican congressman for the state of Wyoming from 1985 to 1989, and then a State Senator from 1989 to 1999. VOTE Z! He went on to obtain his securities trading, and insurance licenses and helped to found Wyoming Financial Securities. At the time of his death, he still had an office where he worked, mostly giving advice, with 2 long-standing employees who helped him 3-4 afternoons per week. He served on multiple Boards and foundations all over the world, and he started The Zimmerman Family Foundation with Anne Zimmerman.

Gail enjoyed traveling all over the world as well as fishing and hunting. He started hunting at age 10 to provide food for his family’s meals. In 2019, he got his prize elk from Arizona. He enjoyed 53 trips to Africa for both hunting expeditions and Christian missions. Gail was a godly man who dedicated much of his life to helping others. He supported churches locally and all over the world, including rebuilding the Zimmerman Church of the Nazarene in South Africa which was founded by his Aunt.

He was preceded in death by his wives Lois Zimmerman and Anne Zimmerman, as well as his siblings Ruth Caldwell, Glenda Mosiman, and Karlene Donze. He is succeeded by his two daughters: Rhonda Zimmerman and Dr. Renee Stirling (Dr. Cory); two sons: Mike (Dr. Eva) and Mitch (Lilly) Zimmerman; nine grandchildren: Greg (Brie) Carroll, Collin (Taryn) and Austin (Kaylee) Zimmerman, Dr. Mackenzie (David) Mayer, Clayton (Mahi) and Elaina Stirling and Kendra, Izabelle and Jenelle Zimmerman; and 4 great grandchildren: Beau, Emory, Stetson and Arthur.

Gail’s spirit was extraordinarily joyful, kind, generous, determined, full of faith in God and a sense of adventure. We will always remember him with a laughing smile, making friends everywhere he went, driving fast cars, telling jokes, and making muffins!

His funeral service will take place on Saturday August 23rd at Highland Park Community Church at 11 AM with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to The Zimmerman Family Foundation.