Zimmerman, John David, CAPT

John Zimmerman's parents were divorced when he was six years old and his mother raised him in the home of her parents. Up until his first couple of years in college, he felt the church he attended was the center of his life. He explained the work he did in those early years. "I was a janitor, Sunday school teacher, church treasurer, acolyte, and assisted in every possible way that one could be in a parish as a lay person". Although he was active in the church, he insisted he wouldn't go into the ministry. At college, he found the required religious classes "tedious and tiresome".

He wanted to join the Navy and was accepted into the US Naval Academy. His dream of service was dashed when he failed out because he couldn't pass the math class. Still wanting to attend college, he ask the rector at his church about Heidelbugh college. That rector told him about the seminary classes and insisted that's what John must do; however, John disagreed. Once at school, he decided to take the seminary classes because, as he said, "the seminary caseload was not that difficult".

As much as he insisted he'd never be in the ministry, that's where God put him. He served at various churches until he joined the Navy as a Chaplain. It's interesting that he entered one job he insisted he didn't want and also was able to serve in the Navy which was his original goal.

The information contained in this profile was compiled from various internet sources.