"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4 William K. (Bill) Zimmerman, 81, of Port Isabel, Texas, passed quietly on Thursday, November 14, 2013, at Sunshine Haven in Olmito, Texas. Bill was born in Falfurrias, Texas, to Werner W. Zimmerman and Lydia Smith on December 31, 1931. He would live his early years, beginning with elementary school in Rio Grande City and Falfurrias, before moving to San Antonio, Texas and graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School. He followed his brother Walter to College Station, Texas, enrolling in Texas A&M University to become an honored member of the Aggie Corps of Cadets. Bill was a proud former student, graduating with the Class of '53 while also being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant with the United States Army. Soon after graduation Bill married the love of his life D'Ann Pfeiffer of San Antonio, Texas, which quickly had them stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia in order that Bill attend infantry school. Bill's stint in the Army, which he famously and proudly referred to as his "airborne" years allowed Bill and D'Ann, along with infant son Mike, to travel to Munich, Germany and Fort Ord, California. Bill's destiny however was south Texas, with the young couple making their home in Laguna Vista, Texas, with son Jeff to come along in 1958. Bill would work alongside his father and brother in the family owned business Marine Mart, a fledgling business that repaired shrimp boats. But the "Zimmerman Brothers" built the business into a small all-encompassing enterprise which included shrimp boat repairs, shrimp boat building, supplies and eventually acquiring a large fleet of boats allowing for the fishing of shrimp. In the early years the brothers worked long hours to succeed allowing them each to later establish separate businesses. Bill continued to thrive in the shrimp business side by side with his sons Mike and Jeff at Nautical Marine. Bill was a longtime director of the Texas Shrimp Association serving as their president and held various positions on the TSA board. He was involved, along with several partners in starting up Texas Pack a shrimp processing plant in Port Isabel, Texas. Bill served on the Point Isabel Independent School District Board of Trustees and was also a city commissioner for the City of Port Isabel. He chaired the City of Port Isabel Planning and Zoning Committee and served on various civic committees throughout the years. He was a founding member of the Laguna Vista Volunteer Fire Department; a member of the Masonic Lodge; a member of the First United Methodist Church of Port Isabel; as well as a member of the Port Isabel Quarterback Club. As a PI Quarterback Club member in the late 1960's and early 70's, he was influential in asking community businesses for donations, allowing the Mighty Tarpon Football team to ride in the comfort of an air-conditioned charter bus which was unheard of at the time. Later the Quarterback Club was able to fund this endeavor as Bill, a member of the Club believed that the boys should not have to ride a school bus to and from out of town football games when they had practiced so hard during the week. However, most importantly, Bill was proud to be a member of the Former Students Association of Texas A&M. He believed with all his being that he was the man he was because of everything that was instilled in him as a cadet while attending his beloved Texas A&M University. He believed that outside of serving in the Army being an Aggie prepared him for all that would come as Aggies are taught through The Aggie Code of Honor that: 'Aggies do not lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those that do' shows what goes to the heart of being an Aggie. - (Texas A&M Leadership) which, he believed, is the definition of a true Aggie. Bill is preceded in death by his parents Werner W Zimmerman, Lydia Smith Stakes and step-mother Meryl Parsons Zimmerman, his wife of 57 years D'Ann and his brother Walter. He is survived by his two sons, Mike (Dolly) Zimmerman of Los Fresnos, Jeff (Rosie) Zimmerman of Laguna Vista; granddaughters Heidi Zimmerman of Houston, and Lindsey Zimmerman of Laguna Vista; grandsons, Hans Zimmerman (Cat Conte) of Austin and Billy (Amanda) Zimmerman of Corpus Christi as well as great-grandson Nicolas Camacho of Laguna Vista. Also surviving him is his sister in-law Pat Zimmerman of San Antonio, along with several nieces. Visitation will be held at 9:00am, with Memorial Services commencing at 10:00am, on Saturday, November 23 at the First United Methodist Church, 101 W. Adams Street in Port Isabel with the Rev. Joe Berkley officiating. Military Honors will be conducted following the celebration by Past District 18 Commander Luis Lucio with V.F.W. Post 2035 of Brownsville, V.F.W. Post 8791 and American Legion Post 498 both of Port Isabel The Zimmerman Family wishes to give a special thank you to friends, Mike and Kay Ezell of Port Isabel. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Sunshine Haven, P.O. Box 4478, Brownsville, Texas, 78523, in memory of William K. Zimmerman. You may sign the online guestbook and send words of comfort or sympathy cards to the family of William K. (Bill) Zimmerman at www.thomaegarza.com. Funeral arrangemts have been entrusted to Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, TX 78586. 956-399-1331.