Dr. Paul A. Zimmerman served the church is so many big ways, but I will always remember him for the vision he had for the advancement of Deaconess service in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He and his dear wife Genevieve welcomed a handful of deaconesses in the late 1970's, who sought guidance on the proper steps to take to explore the possibility of Deaconess training within the Synodical school system. When later the Synod in convention voted to establish the first such program at Concordia, River Forest, where Dr. Zimmerman was the president, he lent his invaluable wisdom to the crafting of program foundations that stand to this day.

I well remember the phone call interrupting my regular work as a Deaconess at the Lutheran Home in Fort Wayne. Unbelievably, my supervisor Deaconess Joyce Ostermann, called me out of a conference with a family regarding a prospective resident. "Dr. Zimmerman from River Forest is on the phone." I was terrified to speak with a man of his status in the Church. He asked if I would consider being the first Director of the Deaconess Program. No, I didn't think so. He called repeatedly in subsequent days, until I consented to interview with the Academic Dean, Dr. Rudy Block and others. It was a privilege to serve there with him and others for the next 10 years.

I was a young program director. Later as I looked back on the years I silently hoped that I hadn't let him down. That fear was fully laid to rest when at the 25th Anniversary of the Concordia Deaconess Program and of the CDC, Dr. and Mrs. Zimmerman and myself were among the invited guests. After I had said my few obligatory comments and returned to my seat, he leaned over and said, "I never doubted that the Lord led us to call the right woman to start up that program." There are only 2 reasons that I was the right woman, because the Lord directed that path and Paul Zimmeman gave it form. I was instructed to ask Charlotte, his trusted secretary, for admittance anytime I needed it. I didn't over use that privilege, but when I needed, he gave me a listening. ear,posed thoughtful questions, then slid his glasses down his nose in that way he had and as though on level ground gave wise guidance grounded in Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

We in the LCMS, and especially the Deaconesses, thank the Lord for the life and ministry of Dr. Paul A Zimmerman and his faithful wife, Genevieve, who supported him through his journey of faith while here below and now he joins her and the saints above. Be comforted, for blessed are they who die in the Lord.