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<p><em>Daniel Lee “Zman” Zimmermann</em>, born to Delferd and Joyce Zimmermann on August 31, 1956 in Sleepy Eye, MN, was anything but sleepy. Simply put, Dan, better known as Zman, lived life large. His loud, infectious laugh, along with his rambunctious and adventurous personality, couldn’t help but positively affect those around him. </p>
<p>Growing up in Minnesota, his siblings included sisters Nancy and Bethann, along with brothers James and Larry. He attended New Ulm High School, where he lettered in football, wrestling, and track and was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In the spring of 1974, he earned a congressional appointment to West Point.</p>
<p>His classmates paint a picture of Dan’s time at West Point with several common themes: smart, fun-loving, a bit irreverent, and an attitude that wasn’t going to let anything get him down. As one classmate remembered, “Zman always lit up the room with his unique sense of humor. He was a warrior who was not going to let academics, or the P.E. Department stand in the way of graduating.” </p>
<p>There are multiple stories of his time at West Point that make you laugh. One friend remembered talking with plebe classmates about what foreign languages each selected, when out of the blue Dan said: “I picked Russian, and I am so screwed. It is a totally different alphabet.” Everyone laughed until it hurt. Another classmate remembered Zman in his squad at Buckner: “I absolutely enjoyed weathering a tough summer with him. For some reason, no matter how filthy and tired we were, he’d find a way to make you smile.”</p>
<p>Dan had a fondness for cards and backgammon. While others were studying, he would be playing Hearts in Grant Hall or making the rounds in challenging classmates in backgammon. After beating someone a couple games in a row, he’d move on to the next room and victim. </p>
<p>Zman also had a fondness for beer and found ways to drink a couple of brews both on and off campus. Firstie year, one roommate recalls going with him several times to a place called Gus’s Tavern. It was within the 15-mile drinking limit and the occasional Army officer would see the cadet stickers on the cars in the parking lot and come inside looking for the wayward cadets. Gus would hide Dan and friends in the kitchen, deny any knowledge of the vehicles outside, and ask the nice officer to move along.</p>
<p>Lest you think Dan didn’t study at all, he did. He focused on chemistry, organic chemistry, and, firstie year, physical chemistry. None of those courses were for the weak of heart, but Dan made them look easy. He did have his challenges with the OPE department but won that battle as well. He chose Chemical Corps on Branch Selection Night and graduated with the “Proud and Great” Class of ’78.</p>
<p>After graduation, Zman served in assignments across the world. He started as a chemical officer and platoon leader with 3ID in Germany. Several remember Dan’s hospitality in Wurzburg on various occasions, and how much he was “embedded” in the local village he lived in. His landlord owned a winery. Dan had “privileges” there and was always greeted warmly by the locals. </p>
<p>After the advanced course, he deployed in the opposite direction to Korea, where he was a company commander with 2ID. Dan eventually returned to the States, and among other assignments, he became an assistant professor of military science for the ROTC program at the Oregon Institute of Technology. It was there that he began his lifelong affiliation with the American Legion, serving as the first vice commander of Post 8 in Klamath Falls, OR.</p>
<p>After leaving the service, Dan and his wife, Mary, moved to Douglasville, GA. There, he became a middle school science and math teacher. He was also a longtime active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Douglasville. Dan continued his affiliation with the American Legion, eventually becoming the national sergeant-at-arms. In 2016, as sergeant-at-arms, he escorted presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to the stage when they attended the American Legion National Convention that year. </p>
<p>The last most of us saw Dan was in 2018 at our 40th class reunion. He was the same old Dan, telling stories and jokes in his gravelly voice. If you heard laughter in the middle of a crowd, there was a good chance Zman was at the center of it.</p>
<p>In 2020, my wife Cathy and I were going to hold a mini-B-3 reunion in May. Dan and I traded emails and spoke, and he was planning to come. Unfortunately, in April, we cancelled the get-together due to COVID. Dan called me after that, and we talked for a while. It was the last time we spoke together. He didn’t mention the lung cancer he already knew he was dying of.</p>
<p>Zman died peacefully February 1, 2021 at home in Douglasville following his extended battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lepley; his siblings: Nancy, Bethann and Larry; three daughters: Shannon Lepley, Erika Schurtz, and Jaclyn Smith; and six grandchildren.</p>
<p>He also leaves behind his classmates from the “Proud and Great” Class of ’78. We grieve his loss, but also promise to keep his memory alive. Rest in Peace, Zman, Rest in Peace. You are gone, but not forgotten.</p>
<p><em>— Max Hall, Gus Hellzen, and Bond Wells </em></p>
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