James “Jim” M. Zimmerman 64, of Akron, Indiana and longtime Mentone, Indiana resident, went to be with the Lord and reunite with his father, Delois, in the early morning hours of Thursday, August 27, 2026 while he was surrounded by family at home.
He was born on September 12, 1961, in Warsaw, Indiana, where he was raised by his parents, Delois and Esther (Hyde) Zimmerman, along with his late sister, Kathy.
Jim had many hobbies and interests, including archery, sports, racing, fishing, and occasionally building model cars. He was able to complete his final model just a short time ago with his son, James. Model building was only one of the many things Jim enjoyed — he had a knack for becoming fully invested in any hobby his son took an interest in. The best example of that was archery. When James received a compound bow for Christmas one year, Jim dove headfirst into the hobby. It became his greatest passion until he lost sight in his dominant eye a few years ago.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Delois and sister, Kathy Phillips. He is survived by his two children, Nichole (Kevin) Satherwaite, Mentone, Indiana and James (Nykole) Zimmerman, Akron, Indiana and their mother, Karen Zimmerman, Mentone, Indiana, mother, Esther Zimmerman, Warsaw, Indiana. His children brought him great joy, but nothing compared to how he felt about his six grandchildren: Nick, Kari, Payton, and Kennedy Satherwaite, and Harper and Maddux Zimmerman. To them he was “Paw,” but to him they were everything. Whether he was roughhousing with them or getting down on the floor to play, he loved every moment. Each grandchild had their own special thing with Paw — whether it was going to the movies, sharing his Oreo cookies, or dancing in his room while listening to "Let's Live For Today."
Another great thing about Jim was his sense of humor. He always had a joke to make or a nickname to give. His humor wasn’t always the most appropriate, but he was as authentic as it gets. One of his many workplace jokes earned him the nickname “Duke”, a name many at Warsaw Chemical knew him by before he retired in 2023.
At this time, no funeral arrangements have been made. When it came to planning ahead, Jim said in the only way he could: he didn’t want anything big and didn’t want any fuss.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to help cover cremation and final expenses. In memory of Jim, please consider a contribution toward these costs via Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, Indiana.
The family deeply appreciates your love and support during this difficult time.
A donation can be made in his name and honor to the Autism Society of Indiana.
Arrangements by Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, Indiana. Online condolences may be expressed at www.zimmermanbrosfh.com
