Gentle woman... Mary Catherine "Polly" Zimmerman, age 87, of Oshkosh, passed into eternal life on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at Eastbrooke Manor. She was born March 8, 1925 to the late John J. and Cecelia (Elkinton) Grimes. Polly graduated from Winneconne High School in 1941. She earned her BA in Comparative Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1945. Polly was Phi Beta Kappa and a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. On November 3, 1945 she married the love of her life, Orvell Bernhard "OB" Zimmerman at the Newman Center Chapel in Madison. Orvell and Polly settled in the Sovereign State of Winneconne to raise their family. Polly began her career at WOSH radio station with her popular talk show, "Over the Back Fence." She transitioned to print media, first with The Paper and then as an editor and columnist with The Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. Polly also was a frequent contributor to the Appleton Post Crescent and The Compass, the newspaper for the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, and Editor-on-call for family and friends. Polly was a contributing author to Prairie, Pines and People, a bicentennial tribute to Winnebago County, published by The Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. She served as a freelance editor for such local authors as James P. Coughlin, former Winneconne village president, and Dr. Neil Eckstein. Polly was an active community leader, serving on the Mercy Medical Foundation Board and its Medical Ethics Committee, the Paine Art Center and Gardens Board, St. Mary's Catholic Church Council, and as a lay member of the Green Bay Diocesan Ecumenical Commission. Polly is survived by: OB, her husband of 66 years; her children, Mark Zimmerman of Madison, Ellen "Elli" (Tom) Wollangk of Oshkosh, Anne (Bill) Conzemius of Fitchburg, James "Jaime" Zimmerman of Madison, Jane "Ginger" Zimmerman of Sun Prairie and Robert (Jill Caler) Zimmerman of Santa Rosa Beach, FL; eight grandchildren, Heidi Strand, Sara (Jim) Van de Grift, Melody Wollangk (Jason Toney), Calen (Allison) Fretts, Cody Fretts, Monica Fretts, Emma Fretts and Ian Zimmerman; and five great grandchildren, Cora Strand, Quinn Van de Grift, E.J. Van de Grift, Grace Toney and Will Toney. She is survived by her brother-in-law Elmer "Mike" (Enid) Zimmerman, and sisters-in-law Ila Zimmerman and Barb Zimmerman along with extended family members Mary Elvekrog, Nelson Graham, Lu and Ken Baitinger, Carlton Leath and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Polly was preceded in death by her son John B. Zimmerman; brothers-in-law Myrle "Red" Zimmerman, Ralph "Waddy" Zimmerman; sister-in-law Verla (Leroy "Chub") Eckstein; and foster sister Ethel (Art) Davy. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, July 31 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 830 S. Westhaven Drive, Oshkosh, with Fr. Luke Ferris officiating. Entombment will be held privately Wednesday at Lake View Memorial Park, Oshkosh. The visitation will be at the church on Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. until the time of the mass. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the family's Driftwood Fund at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. The family wishes to thank Linda Carlson L.P.N. and her dedicated staff at Eastbrooke Manor for all the loving care they provided. ...Gentle Mother Please submit online condolences to muellerfuneralhomeinc.com