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In Memorium: Professor Henry J. Zimmermann,
1916-2007
Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness that I report the death of
Henry J. Zimmermann, Professor Emeritus of Electrical
Engineering and fourth Director of the Research Laboratory
of Electronics. Professor Zimmermann died Sunday,
18 March 2007, at Meadows on Edgewood in North Andover,
Massachusetts. He was ninety years old.
 Professor Zimmermann was born in St. Louis, Missouri,
in 1916. He was graduated from Washington University
(BS '38) and MIT (SM '42). He joined MIT's Department
of Electrical Engineering as a research assistant in
1940, and was appointed Assistant Professor in 1946,
Associate Professor in 1948, and Professor in 1955.
During World War II, he organized and developed radar
training courses in MIT's Radar School, first as an
instructor (1941-42), then supervisor of Army courses
(1942-44), and finally Assistant Director (1944-46).
He also co-authored the school's landmark book, Principles
of Radar.
In 1947, he became a staff member of RLE, where he
supervised Project Meteor, a project to develop guided
missiles. He was appointed Associate Director of RLE
in 1952, and became the Laboratory's fourth director
in 1961. He remained Director until 1976. Professor
Zimmermann was known for his technical contributions
in microwave systems, nonlinear circuits, and signal
processing.
Professor Zimmermann is survived by his wife of sixty-one
years Priscilla (Durland) Zimmermann of North Andover;
daughters Brenda Ferriero of Acton, and Gail Zimmermann
and her husband David Ferriero of Durham, North Carolina
and New York, New York; sons, Karl and his wife Susan
Niefield of Rexford, New York, and John and his wife
Bette Schofield of Boxford, Massachusetts; and granddaughter
Abigail Zimmermann-Niefield of Rexford, New York. At
the request of the family services are private with
the assistance of Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant
Valley Street, Methuen, MA 01844.
Jeffrey H. Shapiro
Director, Research Laboratory of Electronics
Julius A. Stratton Professor of Electrical Engineeering
RLE 40th Reunion in
1986. (l-r) Albert G. Hill, Jerome B. Wiesner, Jonathan
Allen, Julius A. Stratton, Henry J. Zimmermann.
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