Barbara Jean Malone Zimmer, age 88, died peacefully on December 13, 2021, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Barbara was born in Portland Maine on February 5, 1933, to Eugene Cyril “Ole” and Florence Elizabeth (O’Leary) Malone. The family moved many times over the years, finally settling in Michigan. Barbara attended University of Detroit (Mercy), where she graduated with honors with a degree in English and met her future husband, George; they married in 1955. When George was in graduate school at Michigan State University they lived in student housing, and later in Southfield, where they both taught seventh-grade English – one in the public school, the other in the parochial school. They moved to Evanston, Illinois in 1964, where the family lived for over 50 years.
Along with their many friends, Barbara and George were active in civil rights issues, from marching in protests to posing as shoppers to expose discrimination in real estate and other retail operations. Through the League of Women Voters, Barbara studied housing discrimination and in 1977, she and longtime friend, Inge Kistler, rewrote the Evanston housing code. Barbara worked for the City of Evanston’s emergency housing services and taught in an off-campus program for teen-aged mothers.
Barbara received a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from National College of Education (now National Louis University) and in 1977 was elected to the School District 202 Board of Education, where she served until 1984. While caring for her husband, Barbara was a policy specialist for District 202.
In 1991, Barbara was hired to develop the Community Service Program at Evanston Township High School (ETHS). The program included a club and a credit-bearing course. Barbara served in that role until 2008 (retiring at age 75), developing student- and faculty-driven school-community partnerships that included work with Habitat for Humanity, Evanston’s soup kitchens, and other community organizations.
A lifelong Democrat, Barbara was active on the local, state, and national levels. She served as treasurer for Adlai Stevenson’s gubernatorial campaign and was fortunate to have met Barack Obama when he campaigned in Evanston for the U.S. Senate.
Barbara participated in the Catholic communities of St Athanasius and Sheil, was an avid bridge player, book-club member, and theater/concertgoer. Above all, Barbara loved spending time with family and friends at her home – especially on the front porch on Park Place. Barbara and George were fantastic hosts of reunions, parties – and their doors were open to all.
She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Florence Elizabeth (O’Leary) and Eugene Cyril “Ole” Malone; husband, George Willis; sons, Joseph and John Stephen; and sister, Patricia Schimminger. She is greatly missed by daughters, Jeanne Felicity Zimmer (Alfred W. “Pete” Steinke), Suzanne (Meyer) Lieberman; son, Alain Zimmer; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; her sisters, Joan Shaughnessy and Marjorie Elliott; as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews, and friends.
Mass of Christian Burial, 10:30 AM Saturday, May 28, at Sheil Catholic Community at Northwestern University, 2110 Sheridan Road, Evanston, with internment following at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 301 Chicago Avenue.
A reception/luncheon will follow from 1:00 -3:00 on Saturday, May 28 at the Farmhouse, 703 Church Street, Evanston, IL 60201. https://www.farmhouseevanston.com/
Donations may be made to the Barbara Zimmer Fund at Evanston Township High School via The ETHS Foundation, 1600 Dodge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201 or online at https://www.supporteths.org The Fund will be used to support efforts related to Barbara’s deepest passion: students and community service. For more information: 847-424-7158.