The outpouring of condolences through social media and the community have been coming in for Alan M. Zimmermann Jr., the chief of Independence Fire Company No. 1 and the Palmyra Fire Department.
Zimmermann, who was recently celebrated and recognized as outgoing fire chief, passed away on July 21 surrounded by family He was 59.
Born in Philadelphia to Alan Matson Zimmermann Sr. and the late Ada Zimmermann (Tait), Zimmermann grew up in Palmyra and Cinnaminson and eventually settled in Riverton. He graduated from Palmyra High School and Lincoln Technical School and worked in sales in a family business, automotive government fleet sales and as a manufacturer’s representative.
Zimmermann was a volunteer fireman for both Palmyra and Cinnaminson. During a 40-year career at the former, he rose through the ranks to become chief multiple times, only stepping down from the position as his illness progressed.
Zimmermann was a well-respected firefighter with countless department friends. The Palmyra and Cinnaminson companies announced his passing on their social media pages, saying he will be greatly missed. Zimmermann was also a dedicated servant in the Tri-Boro for years, the pages noted.
“Rest in peace, chief, we will take it from here,” President John Miller, Chief Michael Stokes and members of the Independence Fire Company and Palmyra department said in the post.
Zimmermann’s first loves were his daughters, Emily and Abby. He cherished every moment spent with them, according to his obituary. They grew up the daughters of a fireman, spending hours at the firehouse, playing on trucks, dressing up in gear and listening to the constant buzz of a scanner, the online tribute noted.
Zimmermann would often have their friends over, laughing with them, feeding them and watching them grow into the smart, beautiful women that they are. He was “so very proud of them.”
Zimmermann’s second love was his wife Penny. After attending grade school together and running into each other here and there during high school, they traveled different paths, until fate brought them back into each other’s lives. At that point, they became inseparable and married a few years later, his obituary said.
The couple took off on weekend adventures, driving everywhere, planning trips around their favorite local eateries, discovering new ones, talking, laughing, and sharing everything, the posts noted. Having found each other, the Zimmermanns did not waste a moment. Though the years together were fewer than they could have ever hoped, they lived a lifetime.
Zimmermann loved warm chocolate chip cookies, clean cars, Boston Cream pie, his puppies, a good shrimp cocktail, music, ice cream, naps, pretzels and whipped cream. He was kind, thoughtful, funny, and had a vast number of acquaintances gained through his years in sales and as a fireman,his obituary reported.
Besides his wife and daughters, Zimmermann is survived by his father, siblings Lora Dunnigan (John) and Frederick Zimmermann (Sandy) and his sister-in-law Jennifer Zimmermann. He will also be missed by his father-in-law Jack Marshall, brother-in-law Ken Marshall (Tish) and lifelong friend Michael McGonigal. Zimmermann was pre-deceased by his mother Ada and brother Andrew.
Relatives and friends are invited to his funeral at 10 a.m. Aug. 4, with a celebration of life at noon, both at Palmyra’s Hall at the Harbour, 2000 Harbour Drive. Per Zimmermann’s own instructions, “This will be a party and celebration of a great life lived.”
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Palmyra Fire Department. In Zimmermann’s honor, firehouse and borough flags will be flown at half-staff through his life celebration.
