Gratitude for Thanksgiving: My Father’s 88th Birthday

ByPhyllis Zimbler Miller

Today is the 88th birthday of my father Albert Zimbler, a first-generation born in America who in the last two years has become a published author.

He now has three books of his humorous short stories about love and sex (his books are PG-13):

He grew up on the West Side of Chicago, the oldest of two children of first cousins born in Russia and who lived among their Zimbler relatives in Chicago. While in college he was drafted into World War II and pumped gas into planes in Florida.

One day he and buddies visited the student nurses at Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he met Ruth Fishman from Southern Indiana (whose parents were also born in Russia). They have been married since 1946 and my mother will celebrate her 88th birthday in three days. (Happy early birthday, Mom!)

After the war my father completed his college education and, because housing was tight, my parents moved to Elgin, Illinois, when I was six months old. My father commuted to an accounting firm in Chicago before becoming a CPA and opening his own accounting practice. Three more children followed.

Several years ago he sold his accounting practice and then my parents moved to a northern suburb of Chicago. While still retaining a couple of his oldest clients, he turned his focus to comedy writing.

At first he wrote his stories all in capital letters. Eventually he learned to type in upper and lower case and to use spellcheck.

He took (and continues to take) writing and improv classes both in Chicago and when he visits in Los Angeles. And he now teaches senior improv. (For an hilarious example of a senior improv class, click here to go to his website www.AlZimblerComedy.com)

In honor of this Thanksgiving what I would like to share about my father is this:

  • He has always been interested in everyone — he talks to everyone he meets.
  • He has always known a great deal about what is going on in the world.
  • He is a very funny storyteller.
  • And he is an example for everyone of trying new things no matter how old you are.

Happy birthday, Dad!

© 2012 Miller Mosaic LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a former military spouse as well as the author of fiction and nonfiction books/ebooks, including the military fiction MRS. LIEUTENANT: A Sharon Gold Novel and the cozy mystery CAST THE FIRST STONE with a subplot of non-combat trauma PTSD.

Click here to visit her Amazon author page at amazon.com/author/phylliszimblermiller

She also has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the online marketing company www.MillerMosaicLLC.com

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