Helen Ann Zimmerman, 77
On May 19, 2012, our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Helen Ann Zimmerman, “went home to be with the Lord.”
Helen was born in Glasgow on Dec. 8, 1934, to John and Anna Heikens. In 1943 the family moved to the Flathead Valley where she attended Bigfork schools and graduated from Flathead County High School.
In 1952 she met and married Ray Zimmerman of Kalispell. They lived on their family farm in Creston where they raised their three children. She was a true farm wife and contributed to the daily farm duties. She loved to bake and there was never a shortage of fresh bread, cookies, or her favorite, Birdie’s Chocolate Cake on the kitchen counter. Her summers were spent tending to her huge vegetable and flower gardens and the house was always filled with fresh flowers. Her grandchildren will never forget her homemade root beer that she made every summer.
Helen loved to read and had a large collection of books that she would lend to anyone who asked. She had a passion for collecting knick-knacks like designer plates and dolls, and she also enjoyed painting ceramics. The house was decorated with her ceramics which she would change with the coming of every holiday and season.
She was a wonderful mother and grandmother who loved spending time with her family. Long afternoons and holidays were spent playing games, watching Disney movies and coloring with her grandchildren.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, John and Anna Heikens.
She is survived by her husband, Ray, of 60 years; and their three children, Aleta Hall and husband Bill, Ron Zimmerman and wife Kelley, and Jani Dryden and husband Ron; also her grandchildren, Andrea Hall, Tyler Hall and wife Stephanie, Kerah Harmon and husband John, Kadie Zimmerman and fiance Weston Chambers, Kyren Zimmerman, Kassidy Zimmerman, and April Randall and husband Jason; great-grandchildren, Brenden Fox, Gage McKenzie, and Teagen, Treven and Renner Hall; brother, Tom Heikens, and wife, Joyce; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her gentle spirit, kind heart, vibrant blue eyes and beautiful smile will be greatly missed here on earth, “but will be waiting to greet us in Heaven.”
A memorial service for Helen will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 25, at The Church at Creston on Highway 35, with a luncheon to follow.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Helen’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Helen’s tribute wall.