The family of Frederick William "Bill" Zimmermann IV, 62, was recently notified of his death from brain cancer November 27. He was the son of the late Frederick Roller Zimmermann and Lois Pulfer Zimmermann. He was born in Detroit, Mich., December 3, 1955, and was a resident of San Diego, Calif.

His sister, Andrea Zimmermann, and her partner, Bill Brassard, Jr; his brother-in-law, Robert Jones; and a nephew, all of Newtown, survive him. In addition to his family in Newtown, an uncle and six cousins survive him.

His parents and his sister, Roberta Zimmermann Jones, predeceased him.

He moved with the family to Connecticut at an early age. He graduated from Weston High School and attended colleges in New Hampshire and Florida.

Mr Zimmermann was a self-taught artist and owner of Monogram Systems, a firm that specialized in IT services and repair. He enjoyed skiing, swimming, and working out. He moved from Connecticut to Chicago, and then he spent most of his adult life in sunny California. Mr Zimmermann was very creative, played the piano by ear, had a quick wit, and loved to have fun.

Mr Zimmermann's loved ones say he lived and died on his own terms, in the company of dedicated friends.