Benjamin Hyman Zimmerman

Mr. Zimmerman died Thursday, Sept. 4, 2003, in Venice, Calif.

He was born April 25, 1918, in Syracuse, N.Y., the son of Max and Esther S. (Rudevitsky) Zimmerman.

He was valedictorian of his high school class in Syracuse. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Syracuse University in 1940 and was Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and magna cum laude. After serving in the U.S. Army in World War II, he continued his education in anthropology at Columbia University and received honors as a Gilder Fellow and Social Science Research Fellow. He then did fieldwork in Brazil in anthropology, working toward a doctorate degree.

Mr. Zimmerman served on the staff advising or teaching at several universities, including City College of New York, Columbia University, University of Illinois and Yale University. He had been a research director for United Way, executive director for the Mayor’s Commission for Youth Inc. and executive director of Crusade for Opportunity Inc., all in the Syracuse area. He also worked on national programs including the Office of Economic Opportunity Community Action Program as chief of program planning and the Day Care and Child Development Council of America.

He joined Kansas University as an associate professor in 1972 in the school of social welfare, where he worked until he became associate professor emeritus in 1984.

A resident of Lawrence for more than 25 years, Mr. Zimmerman was chairman of the Discrimination Hearing Board and faculty adviser for Gay Services of Kansas. He also helped found the Day Care Coalition of Lawrence and Douglas County, Lawrence Alliance, Freedom Coalition, Douglas County AIDS Project, Simply Equal and Lawrence-Topeka P-FLAG. He also served on the boards of the NAACP, Freedom Coalition and League of Women Voters and co-chaired a committee that monitored the changes in the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

Survivors include a daughter, Anne Zimmerman, Sherman Oaks, Calif., and his partner, David Scheuer, Lawrence.

The family suggests memorials be held until an organization is chosen.

E-mail condolences may be sent at www.warrenmcelwain.com, subject: Zimmerman.