women of achievement

Judy Zimmerman

Julianne (Judy) Zimmerman is, as her nominator describes her, “…a true renaissance woman.” The wealth of her committed community involvement and talents has impacted Clark County and the world for over half a century.

Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1926 to a prominent family, she was destined to be a philanthropist. As she puts it, “It’s in my genes.” Her father, W. Walter Williams, served as Under Secretary of Commerce under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Both her father and brother were named “Seattle First Citizen” for their community involvement and leadership. Judy graduated from Roosevelt High School, then went on to the University of Washington (UW) where she majored in home economics and minored in journalism, graduating with magna cum laude honors and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

In 1946, Judy married Harold (Hal) S. Zimmerman. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and are parents to three successful children: Karen, Steven and Judi Jean, all of whom were raised in the Castle Rock and Camas areas. Judy and Hal have six grandchildren.

Judy has played a vital role in the communities in which she has lived. In the 1950s, she co-owned and co-published the Cowlitz County Advocate for seven years. After settling in Camas, she co-published the Camas-Washougal Post Record from 1957-1980.

In 1966, the political involvement in the Zimmerman’s home expanded when Hal Zimmerman was elected to the state legislature. He went on to serve in the House for 14 years and spent eight years in the Senate. Throughout those years, Judy became increasingly active in Hal’s campaigns and in Republican politics. They went on legislative trips to the Soviet Union and the Far East, and visited many U.S. cities for Congress of Cities meetings.

After reading Richard Halliburton’s “Book of Marvels” as an eighth grader, Judy developed a lifelong interest in the ancient city of Petra, known as Jordan’s “City in the Rock.” She first traveled to Petra in 1981 as part of an archaeological expedition. On her first “dig” she discovered a significant artifact: a marble sign from the period of King Aretas IV. She returned to Jordan in 1983, 1985 and 1987. Judy continues her interest in Petra and its people, sponsoring students at the University of Jordan. From 1985-2006, Judy served on the Board of Directors of the American Center for Oriental Research, the agency that supervises American archeology in Jordan and plays a crucial role in sustaining good relations between the United States and Jordan.

As an exchange director for the Columbia-Cascade Friendship Force, an organization whose mission focuses on promoting world peace and creating environments where friendships can be created across barriers, Judy led local “ambassadors” to Yugoslavia in 1986, visiting farms, homes, teachers and businesses in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia. In addition, Judy served as host chairman for the Israeli Friendship Force group that visited Clark County in 1988.

Judy’s international involvement extends to her love to music. She has played the oboe and English horn for 66 years. Traveling with the United Methodist Jubilate Choir, she played the oboe and sang as the group made homestays (a stay at a residence by a traveler who is hosted by a local family) in Australia during Expo ’88, and in Japan during their 1990 world exposition, In 1992, she sang at Zimbabwe’s Africa Methodist University.

Locally, Judy has performed with various orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony, Vancouver’s “Pops” orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Clark College, Lewis and Clark College, Portland State University, and The University of Portland. At her home church, Camas United Methodist Church, she sings in the choir.

In addition, Judy has been active at the local and conference levels of the United Methodist Church. She served as youth leader for over 20 years at the local church leading workcamps to Tacoma Community House, a nonprofit organization that works with the United Methodist Church and cultural and ethnic groups to improve the quality of their lives through education, employment, and multilingual assistance. She’s led workcamps to Alaska, New Mexico, Tijuana and Ensenada, Mexico, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, and Pahala and Pearl City, Hawaii.

Judy has served on the Columbia River Mental Health Services Board for 34 years. She has also served on the board of HomeStreet Bank, which was established by her father and has branches in Oregon and Washington.

With a hunger for being involved locally and internationally and thriving in everything that she does, Judy Zimmerman is truly a renaissance woman of achievement.