Evelyn Zimmerman

Evelyn Zimmerman, age 82 of Yankton, SD passed away Monday, September 15, 2025 at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, SD. Funeral services will be 10:00 am Thursday, September 18 at Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home in Yankton with Rev. Dani Jo Bierwagen officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Aten Cemetery in Aten, Nebraska. Online condolences may be sent at www.okfhc.com. Livestreaming of Evelyn’s services may be viewed at https://server.attend.live/static/event/n5Y1P.

Evelyn was born February 25, 1943, in Magdeburg-Sudenburg, Germany, to Walter and Elizabeth (Pickut) Hanel, joining her older sister Rosie. She met her beloved husband and was united in marriage to Richard Zimmerman on September 15, 1960, while Richard was in the military in Germany. She passed away on what would have been their 65th wedding anniversary. They came back to the United States in November 1961.

Evelyn was Bud and Shelly's beloved mother. Bud was born in Germany and came to the States when he was 10 months old, where Shelly later joined him. Evelyn came to America not knowing English, and her mother-in-law, Wilda Zimmerman, helped tremendously. Evelyn taught herself how to drive while Dick was gone for a military assignment. She laughed when telling the story how she backed over Bud's trike while learning. The tough German she was, she knew how to drive by the time Dick returned. She got her US citizenship but always said she would be a full German until the day she died. She spent many years at Gurneys and Buhls cleaners before retirement.

Evelyn so enjoyed the trips to the casinos with Dick, bus trips to different places and many trips to Deadwood. And like most grandmas, she was thrilled to have her grandchildren and great-grandchildren come to visit. One of Evelyn's highlights was when Tammy, Bud and Shelly lined up to FaceTime with her sister Rosie in Germany. She got to FaceTime twice, and boy, those two sisters could talk German. They had not seen each other in 30+ years, and her last FaceTime was two weeks ago.

She is survived by her two children, Bud (Tammy) Zimmerman and Shelly Lee (Travis Blakey). Evelyn was blessed with six grandkids: Josh (Teresa) Zimmerman, Tonya (Justin) Rudd, and Branden (Kelli) Zimmerman—Sheldon, Chandler and Madisen Lee and eleven great-grandchildren. Evelyn is also survived by her sister Rosie in Germany, four sisters-in-law, Mary (Laddie) Novak, Lucy (Stanley) Hoeffs, Joan Nelsen, and Barb (Clyde) Yosten, and four brothers-in-law, Ronnie, Steven, Jerry, and Daryl, along with many nieces and nephews.

Evelyn is preceded in death by her husband Richard, her parents Walter and Elizabeth Hanel, brother-in-law Herbert (sister Rosie's husband), son-in-law Lonny Lee, brothers-in-law Glen, Jim, David Zimmerman, and Bob Nelsen, and sisters-in-law Kathy, Carol, Lorraine, and Linda.

Thank you, Majestic Bluffs, for the care you provided to Evelyn during her short stay.