LeIla June Zimmerman, the daughter of Claus and Wilma (Hagedorn) Danker, was born June 4, 1940, in Council Bluffs, IA.  She died March 19, 2024, at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA, at the age of 83 years, 9 months, and 15 days.

LeIla "Lee" grew up on the family farm with her siblings.  They milked cows twice a day and learned to cook from their mother, as she and her sister Sandra took turns milking cows and making breakfast.  She attended school in Oakland, graduating with the class of 1958.  On October 23, 1959, she was united in marriage to Gerald Zimmerman at the Minden Congregational Church.  They lived in Minden until moving to Oakland in 1964 eventually buying the family farm in 1983, farming there until 2001.  In 2001 they moved to Lake Okoboji until 2023 when they moved to Council Bluffs.

Lee was a member of the First Congregational Church in Milford and Oakland.  She loved to cook and bake and was possibly the "Real Betty Crocker".  She had worked at Mutual of Omaha, the Oakland Elementary School as a cook, Martin's Orchard as a cook, Minden Meat Market, and had been Deli Head at Wal Mart in Spirit Lake.

Lee enjoyed fishing, going out for breakfast, followed by a visit to the casino, baking for everyone, and cooking for family feasts.  She was known as the neighborhood caregiver.  She was an avid sports fan, where her favorite teams were the Kansas Jayhawks, the New Orleans Pelicans, and the New York Yankees. She especially loved watching and following her grandkids and great grandkids' activities.

Lee is preceded in death by her parents, Claus and Wilma Danker; her in-laws, Henry and Goldie Zimmerman; her sisters: Janice Knott, Donna Rae Schueman, and Lois Rattenborg; her brother Gerald Danker; her brothers-in-law: Gordon Knott, George Schueman, Ronnie Lockwood, and Keith Rattenborg; and her niece Joanie Schueman.

She is survived by her husband Gerald of Council Bluffs, IA; her children: Denise Hunziker and husband Wes of Milford, IA, Terri Sherkenbach and husband Bret of Carson, IA, and Craig Zimmerman and wife Karen of Oakland, IA; her grandchildren: Teegan, Miley, Landi, Holt, Austin, Macie, Bret J and Samuel; her great grandchildren: Jayci, Grei, Reya, Vander, Ensley, Traycen, Hayes, and K.J.; and her sisters, JoAnn Lockwood and Sandra Madron.  She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

A funeral service for LeIla will be held on Friday, March 22, 2024, at 11:00 AM, at the Oakland United Methodist Church.  Visitation with the family will be at the Oakland United Methodist Church on Friday from 10:00 AM until the time of the funeral service.  Lunch will immediately follow the funeral service.  Interment will be in the Oaklawn Cemetery at 1:30 PM.  Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is assisting the family with arrangements.