Daughter of Sir John Templeton dies The Layman Online Tuesday, December 21, 2004 Anne Templeton Zimmerman, a physician and the only daughter of Sir John Templeton, a director emeritus of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, died on Dec. 16 while undergoing heart surgery. The wife of former Wyoming state Sen. Gail Zimmerman, Zimmerman was a member of the board of the Templeton Foundation, which her father founded in 1987 "to pursue new insights at the boundary between theology and science through a rigorous, open-minded and empirically focused methodology, drawing together talented representatives from a wide spectrum of fields of expertise." And, like her father, she was an activist for many religious causes. Her leading cause was persecuted Christians. Zimmerman earned her medical degree from Case-Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1974. Prior to that she worked in neuropsychological research at Massachusetts General Hospital and taught Biological Sciences near Boston and in Gaberones, Botswana, with the Peace Corps. After her marriage to Gail Zimmerman, Ph.D. in 1980, she opened a surgical practice in Casper, Wyo. In addition, she practiced clinical medicine in an urgent care clinic, and served as the medical director of the Natrona County Detention Center in Casper, Wyoming. She retired from her medical practice in 2003 to devote more time to the cause of international religious freedom, to take aid to those who are suffering and dying because of their faith and to specifically come alongside fellow Christians worldwide. In 1997, Zimmerman, Betsy Vigneri and Lisa Scaling founded the American chapter of the international human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). The group promotes human rights around the world, and, in particular, the basic rights of Christians in nations where they are persecuted. Her involvement with CSW took Zimmerman to the Sudan many times. Zimmerman's first trip to the war-torn African nation was made with Baroness Caroline Cox, the founder of CSW and a member of the House of Lords in the UK. Zimmerman participated as a leading member of CSW buying the freedom of women and children who had been enslaved. Sir John Templeton, the world-renowned pioneer of the global mutual fund, has used his wealth to encourage the collaboration in religion and science for spiritual and physical well-being. His foundation presents annual awards and grants, including the Templeton Prize, which is now valued at $1.4 million and is the highest monetary award in the world that is given to an individual. The Templeton Prize recognizes individuals for their contributions in "love, creativity, purpose, infinity, intelligence, thanksgiving and prayer." Some of the winners of the Templeton Prize have been evangelist Billy Graham, the late Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, Charles Colson, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Dr. Thomas F. Torrance. Anne Templeton Zimmerman is also survived by her husband; her children, Rhonda, Mitchell, Michael and Renee; brothers John Templeton Jr., M.D., president of the John Templeton Foundation, and Christopher Templeton; a stepsister, Wendy Brooks, and seven grandchildren.

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