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Service

Saturday, July 9, 2016
11:00 AM EDT
Fife Lake Twp. Cemetery

The Fife Lake Cemetery is located across the street from the Fife Lake Elementary School.

A Celebration of life reception will follow from 3pm to 5pm at Mama's Kitchen, Bellaire.

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

See below

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Mark R. Zimmerman Memorial Fund through any 5/3 bank for the benefit of his son, William Michael Tinsley.

Life Story / Obituary


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Mark Richard Zimmerman, of Key West and formerly of Bellaire, passed away peacefully on Saturday March 19th, 2016 at the age of 37. He was born in Traverse City the son of Richard and Teresa (Gabier) Zimmerman.

Mark grew up in Bellaire where he attended school thru the 10th grade and he was an integral part of his Mom's restaurant Mrs. Pete's Place, which helped inspire his passion for Culinary Arts.

From an early age he learned his way around the kitchen, and enjoyed his childhood in Bellaire.

Mark graduated from Benzie Central High School in 1996. He started working summers on Mackinac Island and began his travels, which took him to Florida, California and finally to Colorado; where he became the Sous Chef at the Sopris in Basalt without formal certification.

He returned to Traverse City and NMC where he earned his Associates Degree and his Culinary Degree from the Great Lakes Culinary Institute. More recently he was the Chef at Frederic Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids and the Sous Chef at the Marigold (Herman Miller's retreat) in Holland. In Key West, he was working at the Roof Top Inn.

Mark's quick wit, confidence, and singular sense of humor brought laughter and enjoyment to everyone's life who knew him. "He never met a situation that couldn't be addressed with a quote from a favorite movie." Mark also took pride in creative writing, spelling and had it not been for the Culinary Arts, he would have made a brilliant English Professor. He never shied away from an opportunity to dance and was a Pearl Jam aficionado. Mark passed much too young, but his friends and his family can find solace knowing he left behind an eternity of smiles and memories.

Mark is survived by his son, William Michael "Will" Tinsley of Laurens, South Carolina; brothers; Andy 'Rudy' (Rita Melotti) Bishop and William Zimmerman; sisters, Debbie (Mike) Whitten, Lisa (John) Wise, Lori (Greg) Gilbert and Sheri (Peter) Skribanek. Mark is also survived by numerous loving cousins and lifelong friends.

Mark was preceded in death by both of his parents and all of his grandparents and his beloved dog "Pug."

Cremation has already taken place and Mark will be interred at the family's gravesite in the Fife Lake Township Cemetery. A graveside service will be held 11:00 am, Saturday, July 9th at Fife Lake Township Cemetery, Fife Lake. A Celebration of life reception will follow from 3pm to 5pm at Mama's Kitchen, Bellaire. Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to sign the guest book and share a message with his family.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Mark R. Zimmerman Memorial Fund through any 5/3 bank for the benefit of his son, William Michael Tinsley.

The family chose Life Story Funeral Home, Traverse City.

"Never give up."