Katherine Vivian Markle-Zimmerman

Blue Earth June 5, 2010 V. Katherine Markle-Zimmerman Katherine Zimmerman, age 100, of Winnebago, died Saturday, June 5, 2010 at United Hospital in Blue Earth. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, June 11, 2010 at Spencer-Owen Funeral Home in Winnebago, with Rev. Michael Roys officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Winnebago. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 10, 2010 at Spencer-Owen Funeral Home from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, and continuing one hour prior to services at the funeral home on Friday. Katherine was born in 1910 at Wyndmere, North Dakota, to parents Alvin and Vivian Carlson. She spent most of her childhood and teen years in Nevis, Minnesota, where her parents taught and her father was school superintendent. She graduated there as class Valedictorian and went on to get a teaching degree at Bemidji State Teachers’ College. She then taught elementary school in the small northern Minnesota towns of Roosevelt and Stephen, and went to Minneapolis summers where she did clerical work at Gamble-Skogmo. After several years she secured a position teaching first and second grade at Winnebago. In 1938 she married David W. Markle of Winnebago, who became manager of the local Musser and Company plant. In 1957 the couple moved to Elmore, Minnesota, and later to Waseca, Minnesota, finally returning to Winnebago. By that time she had retired from teaching. Mr. Markle passed away in 1979. Katherine married retired recently widowed family friend Clifford Zimmerman of Winnebago in 1989. Mr. Zimmerman passed away in 2001 after an extended illness during which Katherine cared for him. Afterwards, Katherine continued to live independently in her own home, thanks to help of her son, friends and neighbors as time went on. She celebrated her 100th birthday at home, shortly before her fatal illness. Katherine particularly enjoyed dancing, reading and eating out. For many years she sewed many of her new clothes and would occasionally make something for a friend, of whom she had many. Many individuals in the Winnebago area fondly remember her as one of their first teachers. She is survived by her son, David B. Markle of Minneapolis.