~ IN MEMORY ~
Military veteran, NEA/DL Capt. Robert “Bob” Victor
Ziminsky
April 9, 1938 ~ September 11, 2024
Sharing this sad news from the Ziminsky family…..the
passing of retired Northeast/Delta Air Lines pilot Captain Bob Ziminsky, age 86. Bob joined Northeast Airlines 03-06-1967 and
was based BOS & JFK with Delta Air Lines.
He is survived by his wife Amy, and by his children and their
families.
Condolences may be sent to the family at
227
Campbell Mill Rd., Mason, NH. 03048
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
PCN memorial site
Obituary Robert Victor Ziminsky…………….
Robert “Bob” Victor Ziminsky, 86, of Mason, NH a
retired Delta Air Lines and acrobatic Pilot, peacefully departed on his final
flight September 11, 2024.
Captain Ziminsky, New England based aerial
acrobat, pilot for Northeast and Delta Air Lines, was born in Arlington,
Massachusetts on April 9, 1938 to Vincent and Elsie (Lantz) Ziminsky. He was raised in Arlington, MA with his twin
brother William and older brother Philip Ziminsky. After he graduated from
Arlington High School, 1956 he proudly served in the US Army and Navy. While in
the Navy he served on a carrier as an air crew member, taking every opportunity
to participate in flying missions.
During this service time he married Nancy P. Kenna and became the proud
father of Laura and Geoffrey who was born after his discharge while attending
UMA in Amherst, MA. He completed private flight instruction at La Fleur Airport
in Northhampton through the university’s flying club. While attending classes
Bob worked hard to pay for his lessons, tarring roads in the summer, selling
Fuller brush products door to door and working as a bartender. Two hundred
hours of flying time, the commercial and instructor’s ratings had to be paid
for before Bob could begin combining income with increasing experience.
After Bob left the University of Massachusetts, a
brief stint as a crop buster helped develop his skills flying close to the
ground. He had already discovered the challenge and fun of aerobatics.
In 1964, Bob and a partner bought a small flying
club at Hanscom Field, Bedford, MA. The club, Tech Aeroservice, Inc. offered
almost two dozen planes for rental and ran a large flight school and charter
service.
For three years Bob put his energies into flight
instruction and building the flight school. Then in 1967, he was accepted for
airline training. Hired by Northeast Airlines, he became a qualified DC-9 pilot
and 727 flight engineer with more than 8,000 hours of flying time in his log.
Northeast later merged with Delta in 1971. During which time until his
retirement as Captain in 1998, Bob was based out of Boston, New York, Atlanta,
and Cincinnati.
After moving his growing family to Groton, MA, Bob
wanted to establish a dairy herd of Jersey cows. During this time Bob’s love of
aerobatic flying grew and he started looking for a specialized aircraft that
would be able to perform more demanding aerobatic maneuvers and would permit
him to enter in national and international competition. Finally in 1967 he
located a Chipmunk already certified in this country buying it for $8,000. He
later went on to modify the airplane for better control during low-speed rolls
and in knife edge flight. In the spring and summer of 1969 after completing
modifications to his Chipmunk, Bob participated in numerous regional contests
and that fall entered the nationals in Texas. From 1971-1975, Bob flew “New
England” air shows in the United States and Canada. Bob’s highlight during
performing was to cut a ribbon stretched between two poles 50 feet above the
ground while flying upside down. One time he came down prematurely with the
windshield and the side of his plane covered with oil, the result of an oil
leak. Though he said he was somewhat blinded by the oil on his windshield, he
got down safely. During this time Bob made sure the Chipmunk was well
maintained for safety and kept physically alert by running two miles a day and often
flying his Chipmunk upside down just to accustom his body to the negative G
imposed by the inverted position. He held permanent authorization through the
cooperation of the FAA and the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission to practice
over the Groton airport, a privately owned grass strip. In 1975 Bob made the
decision to sell his beloved Chipmunk prior to the birth of Robert T. knowing
full well the risks involved with continued flying aerobatic air shows.
Divorced in spring 1974, Bob later met Amy Hancock
Ziminsky, after her father David C. Hancock, Delta Airlines Captain jokingly
shared her picture stating here’s “my old maid school teacher” in the cockpit
while flying at 34,00 feet. After a whirlwind courtship they tied the knot in
December, 1974. Bob had built his dream home in Mason, NH on a beautiful
20-acre lot, a perfect new setting for his cows from Groton. Two children
Robert T. Ziminsky and Tanya E. Ziminsky were born 1976 and 1981 respectively.
Bob supported Amy’s dream to begin a daycare business in 1977 while nurturing
their own children at home. The business later became the first private
preschool-kindergarten, “Mason Country Day School” for children 3-6 years. The
school served 18 students during the last years prior to its closing in 1988
during which time Amy earned her master’s degree in education from Antioch
University and was hired to teach first grade at the Mason Elementary School.
Bob was a true self-made man who had many diverse
skills. He enjoyed traveling as a tourist with his family taking them to
Africa, Egypt, northern Finland, many European countries, Labrador, Rankin
Island, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, western Canada and Galapagos islands; also,
many places of interest in the USA. He accomplished all this when not
gardening, bee keeping, farming, fishing, skiing, hunting, mowing the fields
around his home, snowplowing and woodworking. He spent many hours maintaining
tractors, the automobiles and airplanes, when not flying inverted, parachuting
at the Pepperell, MA airport or taking cross country trips in his Cessna 180.
As a multi certified flight instructor, he was helpful to many private pilots
giving impromptu instruction and check rides for their licensing renewal. He enjoyed flying his Cessna 180 to many
fly-ins until the age of 84 and was a member of the Octogenarian flying club,
Barnstormers as well as being a Justice of the Peace. Bob loved his family, the
home he built including the “Zim” airport grass strip and the people of Mason,
NH.
Surviving family members include wife Amy,
daughter Tanya E. Ziminsky, a son Robert T. Ziminsky and partner Diana
Carpinone, a son Geoffrey Ziminsky, a daughter Laura L. Miller and her spouse
Jonathan B. Miller; and grandchildren Dominique Dalanni, Garrison Dalanni,
James C. Ziminsky, Charles A. Ziminsky, Josiah Ziminsky, Jaiden Ziminsky, and
Jarret Ziminsky. Captain Ziminsky also
is survived by his twin brother William Ziminsky, sister-in-law Maria Ziminsky,
two great grandchildren, along with nieces, nephews and good friends.
In addition to his parents, Bob was also
predeceased by his dear older brother Philip Ziminsky and sister-in-law Joyce
Ziminsky, dear Aunt Lois Ewart and cousin Alice Freeman.
A family celebration of Bob’s life will be held at
his cherished Mason home date to be determined. Per request there will be no
services. Suggested if donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital.
