Theodor “T” Timmerman

Theodor “T” Timmerman

Written by Amy Stansbury Tuesday, 18 March 2008

Theodor Timmerman, nicknamed “T” or “T-boy,” has lived all but one year of his 87-year life in Pflugerville, and that was his first year of marriage. His wife Marlene was a young widow living in Austin with her three sons, who were all under three years old when the couple met in 1959. They would later have another son and three daughters together.

During that year, Timmerman drove back and forth to farm on his land in Pflugerville. He was glad when they moved back into the home his father built in 1919, where they ended up living for nearly 50 years.

Timmerman’s father and grandfather were instrumental in the development of the area, as well as helping found and later rebuild Immanuel Lutheran Church after it burned down in 1928. So it was natural for Timmerman to be involved in the community, too.

Over a span of more than 40 years, Timmerman served on the Pflugerville Independent School District board, the Manville water board, Immanuel Lutheran Church council, German-American Farm Mutual board, Pflugerville Fire Department board, Travis County Appraisal board, Round Rock Hospital board, the Travis County Livestock and Rodeo board and is a long time supporter of Texas Lutheran University.

For several generations, the Timmermans have owned 1,700 acres in Pflugerville, some of which is currently being developed for commercial and residential real estate by Timmerman’s son, Tim.

Timmerman was successful farming cotton and later corn on this land in the mid-1900s.

“At one time they said I grew 10 percent of the cotton that went through the [local] gin. I grew 1 percent of the cotton in the country,” Timmerman was quoted saying in the oral history book Pflugerville: A Heritage to Remember, available at the Pflugerville Community Library.

He worked long hours farming during the day, but contributing to the development and evolution of Pflugerville was also a priority.

“What always fascinated me about Dad is that he farmed all day. Then he’d come home, get a shower, change clothes and go to the board meetings,” Hebert said. “He went to all these meetings, and never wrote anything down – ever. It was amazing.”

Timmerman’s wife Marlene ran the household and supported her husband’s involvement in the community.

“Daddy was always going to board meetings, but we still got a lot of time with him. He took us to the lake to go boating almost every weekend,” Hebert said. “But Mother was really the fiber of the family, running the house. She was our rock.”

Marlene said that often people would complain about board members of organizations, but never about her husband.

“He was the sensible one – always diplomatic, fair and reasonable,” Marlene said. “He never ever said bad things about people, and he didn’t hold grudges. He is just a kind-hearted person.”

Timmerman served on the school board for 21 years, 10 of which he was president. A significant achievement during that time was his role in building Pflugerville High School and stadium, which was completed in the early 1973.

But if you ask Timmerman, he’ll say that his greatest accomplishment while he served on the school board was getting all seven of his children through school.

“He even got to hand every one of them their diplomas,” Marlene said.

Timmerman laughed when they reminisced about the youngest of the children taking advantage of her father being the school board president.

“We were all pretty good, and I really didn’t want to embarrass Daddy while he was president, but my sister Cheryl used to go to school late every day for one reason or another,” Elaine said, affectionately. “It was always something, and she got away with it.”

Timmerman has been acknowledged for his contributions to the city in many ways, such as having an elementary school named in his honor and being given the Lifetime Achievement award by the Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce.