Mark Shimer

Mark Von Shimer, age 58, passed away July 15, 2016 in an accident near Morristown, Arizona. Mark was born August 1, 1957 in Indianapolis, Indiana; second child to William and Barbara Shimer.



As early as 3 years old, Mark had a love for animals and his first pet was an Easter present from his grandparents, a bunny rabbit. In 1962, the family pets had to be placed in new homes, as the family was moving to Kansas. Another move in 1965 brought the family to Phoenix, where Mark wasted no time finding new pets. When he found an abandoned kitten, he brought it home so he and his mother could care for it and save it's life. Frisky enjoyed being the family cat for nearly 20 years, along with numerous other kittens and dogs through the years.



As a young boy, Mark was willing to work to support his love for animals. He would frequent a nearby horse breeder and Mark would clean the horse stalls for the owner in exchange for riding time on the horses. In 1970, he had a paper route and used his income to purchase Twinkle, a black poodle. He also mowed lawns for income, learning how to trim bushes at an early age. Even as a teenager, the things Mark enjoyed most were all outdoors, including gardening.



In high school, Mark participated in ROTC and wrestling, weighing in at 95 pounds! Upon graduating from Moon Valley High School in 1975, he went to work as a laborer for Delta Electric. He learned the electrical trade and began his career in construction, as Mark was never one to sit behind a desk. Mark was the Lead Electrician at Boswell Hospital for many years, was a self-employed electrical contractor and recently worked for Zimmerman Electric. He was an avid collector of all things John Deere from big and small, yet another passion relating to farm and construction life.



He bought his property in Surprise nearly 10 years ago, where he enjoyed all his passions - animals, anything John Deere, gardening and construction. Though, in recent years, he lost his pig and gave his 2 horses to good homes, he still had many pets and animals. Last count: 6 dogs, 4 cats, 2 goats, 2 geese, 12 ducks, 30 chickens and 2 roosters!



A caring man, with a carefree spirit, even after divorcing, he continued to be involved in raising his step-daughter. In 2012, after many years of bachelorhood, Mark met his wife, Judy through Senior People Meet, an online dating agency. After dating for four years, Mark and Judy were just married this past April. Still in the honeymoon stage with Judy, Mark was taken too soon. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.



Mark is survived by his wife Judy of Surprise, parents Bill and Barbara Shimer, sister Denise (Michael) Janes, all of Phoenix, three nieces, an aunt and uncle of Maryland, as well as 3 step-children and 6 step-grandchildren Graveside services will be held on Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 9:00 AM at the Wickenburg Municipal Cemetery. A GoFundMe account has been established for anyone wishing to donate cash in lieu of flowers. Judy Shimer Bereavement Fund