District Court Judge Tricia Zimmer died Saturday, after a battle with cancer. Zimmer was sworn in as a judge in Lyon County in 2018.

MARSHALL — A Lyon County District Court judge leaves behind a legacy of kindness and dedication to her work, colleagues of Judge Tricia Zimmer said Monday.

Zimmer died Saturday, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, where she had been battling cancer. She was 54.

“Judge Zimmer will be deeply missed,” said District Court Judge Michelle Dietrich, who worked with Zimmer in Lyon County court. “She brought integrity, reliability and amazing dedication to her work as a judge.”

Zimmer started her legal career in Lyon County, interviewing with past District Court Judges George Marshall and George Harrelson to become a legal clerk. Over the years, she would go on to serve as an adjunct professor at Southwest Minnesota State University, as Assistant Lyon County Attorney, and as vice president of human resources at North Star Mutual Insurance Company.

After Judge Leland Bush retired in 2018, Zimmer was appointed as a judge in Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District by Gov. Mark Dayton. The Fifth Judicial District, which includes Lyon County District Court, covers a total of 15 counties in southwestern and southern Minnesota.

Zimmer also had a history of involvement in the Marshall area community. She was a volunteer for the United Way of Southwest Minnesota, and was a past member of Marshall’s Police Advisory Board, and the Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation board.

Court Administrator Aimee Primus said Lyon County District Court currently has a senior judge who is helping to cover some of the county court calendars through the end of September. To fill the vacancy Zimmer leaves behind, the Minnesota Governor’s Office will need to go through a selection process to appoint a new judge.

Services for Zimmer will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Marshall. Visitation will continue from 9:30 to 10:30 Thursday at the Remembrance Center.