Ingrid Zimmerman Obituary

Ingrid Zimmerman (née Jantke) died peacefully on August 6, 2024 at the age of 95. Ingrid was born in Breslau, Germany on October 4, 1928. She grew up during the Depression, survived the hunger of World War II and the siege and aerial bombings that decimated Breslau. When the borders of Russia and Poland were redrawn in 1945, her home was renamed Wroclaw overnight, and repopulated with Polish settlers. She, her mother and siblings fled with thousands of others on foot and by what remained of train tracks to Berlin, reconnecting there with relatives in a tiny apartment. There she met her first husband, Leonard Streisfeld, the only member of his family to survive Hitler's death camps. Together they embarked on a new life in the US, landing first in New York, then settling in Columbus, Ohio, where they opened a hair salon. Their daughter, Gloria Regina, was born there in 1951, and together they learned to speak English with other members of the immigrant community, as well as traveled on road trips exploring the American West. Only 10 years later, Leonard died of a sudden gallbladder attack in 1961. Ingrid considered moving back to Germany, but on the very day she and Gloria landed in Berlin, the Wall between East and West Berlin was beginning to be built. They boarded a plane back to the US and landed in Phoenix, AZ to start a new life. Ingrid worked in a department store, and learned to both snow ski as well as water ski. A year later Ingrid met Robert Zimmerman, a newspaper journalist who was living in the same apartment building. Eventually, Robert was hired as a reporter at the San Diego Union Tribune Publishing Company; she and Gloria moved there in 1963 to be with Robert and become a family. Their daughter Tanja Maria was born in 1964, just as they moved from Point Loma to the newly built neighborhood of University City. Ingrid volunteered for over 25 years at Stanley Middle School and the Preuss Academy, and stayed connected with her German culture and language through the community in San Diego. Both daughters graduated from college and became teachers. Ingrid and Robert lived many years in University City, traveling to numerous countries together on both work trips as well as for pleasure. Ingrid was preceded in death by her younger sister Gretel, who died during a family visit to the States in the summer of 1981. Robert died of heart disease in 2010 and Ingrid lived another 14 years at a senior home nearby. Known for her stalwart character, her knack for languages, her love of baking and sewing, Ingrid passed on many traditions including her language to her children and grandchildren, and found strength in her faith throughout her life. Ingrid is survived by her sister Rosemary Wolff, her two daughters Gloria Skoldberg (Bob), Tanja Zimmerman (Jeb Evans), three grandchildren, Kristen Wilson (Trace), Erik Skoldberg and Zachary Evans. Ingrid is also survived by six great-grandsons: George, Leo, Hudson, Wyatt, Max and Oliver.