Ellen Marie Zimmer was born on September 18, 1955, and passed away peacefully on March 10, 2024, at 68 years old. She was raised in and graduated from high school in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, neighbor, and community advocate. We will miss her quiet warmth, thoughtfulness, strength, and selfless kindness.
Ellen was tenacious in her pursuit of her educational goals and a full, vibrant, meaningful life. She approached setbacks as challenges to be overcome and experiences that informed her compassion for others. An open and curious person, she sought connection and community with people from diverse walks of life. She completed her MS in Safety Management and her PsyD in Health and Wellness Psychology – the culmination of a lifetime spent pursuing positive health, integrating mind, body, spirit, and emotional well-being.
Her intellectual interests were always in service to others, with a heart that saw and wanted to help underserved populations. She volunteered in a local hospital, worked with adults with disabilities, tutored math, and led community qigong classes. More recently, she served as a community steward through the TLC Center and, separately, the Aging & Disability Resource Center, coordinating volunteers, food pantry, and nutrition programs, amongst other things. She cared deeply for the people she served and gained valuable friendships along the way.
She will be remembered as a creative and talented home chef, something she passed on to her children and grandchildren. Her recipes often combined international flavors, with locally sourced ingredients; they were as nutritious as they were delicious. Many friends and family members have tried to duplicate their favorites, but Ellen had a special touch. Quilting was another of her creative outlets. She took great care in every step of the process, carefully selecting fabrics and patterns. She continued to sew clothing for herself and her family. In her free time, she often enjoyed being in nature and exploring.
Her children are so grateful for her fierce advocacy, her pragmatic and principled approach to life, and her resilience. They are also grateful for her hopefulness, for encouraging their interdependence, and for all the ways she made their worlds bigger.
She is survived by her children (from her marriage to Delmer Blegen) – Sara, Brent, and Alicia Blegen – and her three grandchildren: Marit and Silje Blegen (Shana Weiss) and Simon Kindvall (Matthew Kindvall), as well as her siblings: David, Paul, Dean (Sandra), John (Lauren), Barry (Deb), Roger (Diane), Tony (Kim), Nancy (William), Rhonda (Bruce), and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ronald and Mary Zimmer and her sister, Jean Vance.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024, at St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 515 Main Street, Holmen, Wisconsin. Fr Jim Weighner will officiate. A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.
