Tribute

KM Timmerman

6/22/1932 – 5/8/2021

Kenneth Marvin “Tim” Timmerman

Kenneth Marvin “Tim” Timmerman was born on June 22, 1932 to Fred and Esther on a small farm outside Emporia, Kansas. The fifth of six children, he quickly developed a healthy independence and a fierce love of the outdoors.

Logan Avenue School led to Emporia High School followed by two years at the University of Kansas. Inspired by his two older brothers (Grant was a Marine; Bob was in the Army), Marvin enlisted in the Marine Corp and served for 5 years, retiring as a Captain. During that time, he married Betty Lou Becker, also of Emporia. He returned to KU, graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He took his young family to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where a job with Sandia National Laboratories awaited him.

While also completing a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Mexico, Marvin worked at Sandia, and over the next 30 years, he collaborated on projects ranging from nuclear weapon missile systems to directional drilling to alternative energy sources. He raised three children, backpacked all over New Mexico and Colorado, and retired to Santa Fe with Joni Parman.

The next 30 years of Tim’s life were a study in devotion – to his family, to his community, to the planet – and to expanding the breadth of his knowledge about things both practical and adventurous. He was a logical thinker, an informed and respectful conversationalist, and a brilliantly creative problem-solver. He created works of art out of wood, including a miniature working catapult, a replica of Fenway Park, a full-sized dining room table, and several Viking ships. His library included books on military history spanning centuries and adventures spanning the globe (Rounding the Horn by Dallas Murphy was his favorite).

He traveled extensively, following the “blue highways” of the Western United States in Fred, his Ford pickup truck, and touring with Joni as far away as Alaska, Europe, and New Zealand. He was always curious about the geological makeup of the places he visited and the stories that local rocks could tell. While his photos were always worth the wait, his post-vacation travel journals were insightful, inspiring, and highly entertaining.

Tim considered his highest priorities and greatest accomplishments to be:

  • Raising three children who are kind, generous, and self-sufficient;
  • Preserving and sharing the story of his brother Grant, WWII Medal of Honor recipient;
  • Learning about climate change, teaching others, and doing his part to make a difference;
  • Exploring the world around him, finding places and people off the beaten path and learning about them, making their stories part of his own;
  • Challenging himself to always learn something new, always figure something out, always make sure others were seen and valued;
  • Sharing nearly 30 amazing years with Joni, who was his other half. She made it easy for him to be both partner and loner, and she brought her own light and color and story to their love.

Tim lives on in his photographs, writings, inventions, and of course, his family. He is survived by wife, Joni Parman of Santa Fe; daughters Susan Timmerman of Albuquerque and Amy Timmerman of Boston; son Stephen Timmerman of San Francisco; as well as 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. It’s nice to think he’s just out on an adventure and will soon return home with another wonderful story. In his memory, please consider supporting High Country News, a non-profit whose mission is to inform and inspire people to act on behalf of the West’s diverse natural and human communities. Visit https://www.hcn.org/support/support-our-work, select “Dedicate my donation in memory of someone” and enter “KM Timmerman” or “Kenneth Timmerman” in the blank. Options for calling or mailing to donate are on the site as well.