Gary Wayne Zimmerman The Z-Man 1957-2010 Gary passed on peacefully Saturday, 3/20/2010, with his family and his good friend, Lonnie, surrounding him with great love. The best way to describe Gary is through a childhood story he told me one day. Gary was born with a protruding chest. He was a skinny little boy, making this condition more pronounced than it was in adulthood. Some kids had made fun of him one day, and ran home asking his mother why his chest was so big. Garys mom told him that God had made his heart larger than most, and he simply needed a bigger chest to fit it in. It was a perfect mother-kind-of-thing to say, but it was also very descriptive. Gary always led with his heart. He had a great passion for life, art, music, and poetry. He rarely had casual friendships. When he decided someone was a friend, he went into that friendship with everything he had. Gary was one of the most generous people ever known; offering his talents, his time, and his money to friends and strangers alike. Gary lost his parents at a young age and was left to feel his way into adulthood. He most likely would have said that he never quite made it. He enjoyed staying young and in touch with the newest things. But, when it was time to get down to work, he did so very successfully in the computer software business, working both as an individual contributor and a manager, and having multiple certifications including an MCSD. In 2007, he decided to move back into the music field which was his passion, and opened his own recording studio, Z-Man Productions. He saved his greatest love for his family, and the greatest joys in his life were his children whom he loved more than any father could, and for whom he never ceased working to love better. When his grandchildren arrived, his heart burst with pride; and the hugs, and tickles, and teasings began immediately. He was a man who was given the gift of faith, and it was a faith that never wavered. He was an artist, a poet, and a songwriter. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a friend. He was Baba to his little Toot-Toot, and was anxiously awaiting the name his sweet Erin would give him. Gary was always the first to point out that he was not perfect, but to those of us who knew him, he was larger than life. His personality could fill a room; and his heart could fill the world. This world will feel an emptiness without him, but the world he stepped into is shining brighter because he has arrived. Be at peace on your new journey, my love. You will never be far away. We love you and miss you. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Grier Dudley Zimmerman, and Kathleen Ann Zimmerman. Gary is survived by his wife, Patti Zimmerman, his son and daughter-in-law Grier Reitzel and Amanda Richelle Zimmerman, his daughter, Andrea Kathleen Zimmerman, his granddaughters, Abbey Hanselman and Erin Zimmerman, his brother, David Grier Zimmerman, his adopted children, Kartik Jambunathan and Hema Kartik, his family in Kansas who served as his anchor, his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Moiri and John Brown, his niece and nephew-in-law, Allison and Jordan Messerole, his loyal companion, Damascus, and a host of friends to whom he gave his unending loyalty and love. Garys generosity was always extended as a direct gift to a person in need, rather than to an organization. In lieu of flowers, we are requesting that donations be made to the Z-Man Memorial Fund so that we can continue Garys method of directly helping those whose hardships can be lessened. Checks are to be made payable to Patti Zimmerman, and mailed to 5313 N. W. 47th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73122, with a note in the memo section specifying the name of the fund. Memorial services will be Sat., March 27, 2:00pm at Mercer-Adams Chapel with a reception following.