Obituary for Palma M. Zimmerman
Palma (Pamm) Marie Zimmerman was born on February 1, 1932 in Reading, Pennsylvania to Jeanne (Chinnici) and Vincenzo (James) Cucinotta. She was a very intelligent and beautiful young girl and excelled in school, graduating from Reading High School in 1949. She then worked as an administrative professional before marrying Walter Zimmerman on December 12, 1959 and moving to a 38-acre homestead in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. She and Walter raised and educated four children: James (Colleen) of Miramar, Florida, Walter of Hartland, Wisconsin, Katherine (Jon) Haggar of Austin, Texas, and Sandra Bachman of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Pamm was a woman of uncommon ability and keen insight. She surrounded herself with books, magazines and newspapers and was always well-informed of current issues. She was never impractical or indirect. She was an honest communicator. She was a dedicated and supportive wife. She was an intensely caring mother, who put virtually all of her time and energy into helping her children and later her grandchildren - grandsons Matthew, Dustin, Alexander and Erik and two sets of twin granddaughters Elizabeth and Katherine and Victoria and Caroline. Her love and caring were deep and shown by her legacy of routine kind and generous actions for her loved ones. There was nothing more important to her than that her children be well and do right - she called for high standards of conduct. She took pride in her Sicilian ancestry. She held strong spiritual beliefs and devoted the power of prayer for her loved ones. She instilled good values and emphasized education, including the college education that she was never able to obtain; with her (and her husband Walter's) support, her four children have obtained a total nine university degrees, which provided a foundation for their success. She was very proud that her four granddaughters would each start at university this summer on a foundation that she put into place - following her first college graduate grandchild Alexander.
In addition to providing a flawless orderly household with wonderful regular healthy meals and every comfort possible for her children and husband (all a justified source of great pride for her), Pamm managed a career with work in fashion, public administration and antiques. She had a superb eye and sharp sense of style. She ran fashion shows for Pomeroy's and Boscov's department stores. She was a director at the Berks County Historical Society and administrated the U.S. Bicentennial celebration and events for Berks County in 1976. She established and operated an antique/collectible market at the old Reading Fairgrounds (later the site of the Fairgrounds Square Mall). For decades she was a regular at the Renninger's market in Kutztown, known for her keen understanding of antiques and collectibles - and as a good friend to many other collectors. But her love and care of her children and grandchildren always came first. She supported her children in academics, theatre, band, cheerleading, athletics and countless other extra-curricular activities; she guided her children in their career advancement and helped them with their parenting, again in countless ways. In her later years, she always sent cards/kindnesses (and prayers) and regularly provided generous gifts to her loved ones; through her entire life, she ceaselessly thought of how she could help her loved ones and helped in any way she could; her love and kindness will carry forward. Strong and independent herself, she was always dependably available to guide and help others (more recently connected through social media).
Pamm reached her later years with grace, beauty and youthfulness. She never became old (though she would call herself the “little old lady from Fleetwood”). Her spirit and energy were contagious. Her loved ones always felt her genuine interest in their well-being. She never put herself first; she always put herself second so that others would have more. Her joy came from self-sacrifice, helping loved ones to have joy. Selfless contribution to others was her way. She was always thinking of those she loved, and how to help them. Sacrificing her needs/wants, she made life better for others – that was her way. It is impossible to fully describe the immense positive contribution she made to the lives of her loved ones.
Pamm was a truly remarkable woman of great strength and character who made a lasting contribution to many lives and was deeply loved by her family and others; her spirit will live on through her children and grandchildren, who brought her great pride and joy. She was pre-deceased by her always cared-for husband (of nearly 53 years) Walter, her beloved grandson Erik and daughter-in-law Christa, her first grandson Matthew, as well as her mother and father, brothers John and Frank and sister Rose.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 11 a.m. at Gethsemane Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please contribute to a charity of your choice to honor her memory. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is honored to serve the Zimmerman family. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.
Pamm was a woman of uncommon ability and keen insight. She surrounded herself with books, magazines and newspapers and was always well-informed of current issues. She was never impractical or indirect. She was an honest communicator. She was a dedicated and supportive wife. She was an intensely caring mother, who put virtually all of her time and energy into helping her children and later her grandchildren - grandsons Matthew, Dustin, Alexander and Erik and two sets of twin granddaughters Elizabeth and Katherine and Victoria and Caroline. Her love and caring were deep and shown by her legacy of routine kind and generous actions for her loved ones. There was nothing more important to her than that her children be well and do right - she called for high standards of conduct. She took pride in her Sicilian ancestry. She held strong spiritual beliefs and devoted the power of prayer for her loved ones. She instilled good values and emphasized education, including the college education that she was never able to obtain; with her (and her husband Walter's) support, her four children have obtained a total nine university degrees, which provided a foundation for their success. She was very proud that her four granddaughters would each start at university this summer on a foundation that she put into place - following her first college graduate grandchild Alexander.
In addition to providing a flawless orderly household with wonderful regular healthy meals and every comfort possible for her children and husband (all a justified source of great pride for her), Pamm managed a career with work in fashion, public administration and antiques. She had a superb eye and sharp sense of style. She ran fashion shows for Pomeroy's and Boscov's department stores. She was a director at the Berks County Historical Society and administrated the U.S. Bicentennial celebration and events for Berks County in 1976. She established and operated an antique/collectible market at the old Reading Fairgrounds (later the site of the Fairgrounds Square Mall). For decades she was a regular at the Renninger's market in Kutztown, known for her keen understanding of antiques and collectibles - and as a good friend to many other collectors. But her love and care of her children and grandchildren always came first. She supported her children in academics, theatre, band, cheerleading, athletics and countless other extra-curricular activities; she guided her children in their career advancement and helped them with their parenting, again in countless ways. In her later years, she always sent cards/kindnesses (and prayers) and regularly provided generous gifts to her loved ones; through her entire life, she ceaselessly thought of how she could help her loved ones and helped in any way she could; her love and kindness will carry forward. Strong and independent herself, she was always dependably available to guide and help others (more recently connected through social media).
Pamm reached her later years with grace, beauty and youthfulness. She never became old (though she would call herself the “little old lady from Fleetwood”). Her spirit and energy were contagious. Her loved ones always felt her genuine interest in their well-being. She never put herself first; she always put herself second so that others would have more. Her joy came from self-sacrifice, helping loved ones to have joy. Selfless contribution to others was her way. She was always thinking of those she loved, and how to help them. Sacrificing her needs/wants, she made life better for others – that was her way. It is impossible to fully describe the immense positive contribution she made to the lives of her loved ones.
Pamm was a truly remarkable woman of great strength and character who made a lasting contribution to many lives and was deeply loved by her family and others; her spirit will live on through her children and grandchildren, who brought her great pride and joy. She was pre-deceased by her always cared-for husband (of nearly 53 years) Walter, her beloved grandson Erik and daughter-in-law Christa, her first grandson Matthew, as well as her mother and father, brothers John and Frank and sister Rose.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 11 a.m. at Gethsemane Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please contribute to a charity of your choice to honor her memory. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is honored to serve the Zimmerman family. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.