<p>Portland couple Jan Zimmer, 78, and Jim Zimmer, 79, pose outside their rental mobile home next to Bob White Field, where the couple manages motor home and tent rental spaces during Round-Up.</p>

 Jim Zimmers voice broke as he emerged from a seconds-long journey down a line of memories that led him 17 years into the past.

He said take care of the ballpark down there … do it for the kids,?the 79-year-olds words crackled as he came back to the present. He described the day his late friend, Howard Phelps, asked him to take over as grounds manager of the temporary RV and tent park at Bob White baseball field to raise money for the Pendleton Babe Ruth Association.

Damn, he said, as if Phelps, who died in 2000 when he was 93, had handed off the torch just yesterday. Zimmer took off his sunglasses and wiped his eyes. Minutes later Jan Zimmer, his wife of 59 years, came out of the motorhome the couple rented for the week with a red plastic cup in her hand.

Jim Zimmer quickly regained his jovial disposition as he teased his wife, 78, between starry-eyed pauses as he recounted the stories and people that filled the couples 47 years at the Pendleton Round-Up.

The couple says its their last year volunteering, although Jim admits its not the first time hes said this. The couple may not return even to see the rodeo next year because of Jims health. The retired Southern Pacific Railroad switchman and lifelong Portland resident had open-heart surgery three years ago. Two years before that he had a knee and hip replacement. He said he doesnt know who will succeed them to run the campground.

The Zimmers came across the volunteer job more-or-less by accident. They met Phelps in 1965 when they were campers at the same grounds they have now managed for over a decade. The Oregon Humane Society sent Jim Zimmer to the Round-Up on assignment; Jim Zimmer attended rodeos to make sure the animals were being treated well. He worked for the railroad for 18 years and retired in 1991, and worked for the Humane Society for 33 years, until 1993. He said the Pendleton Round-Up never violated any Humane Society regulations in his time working at the rodeo.

The couple started helping Phelps with grounds management when his health began to fail.

We had been helping Howard as he was aging and then totally when he was sent into the rest home (in 1997), Jan Zimmer said.

Coming to Round-Up has been the couples biggest annual event. Their daughter Katie Milojevic, 48, stays in a separate RV and manages the $10-a-night tent spaces, 10 of which were taken by Tuesday afternoon. Jim Zimmer takes care of the $20-a-night RV spaces, 50 of which were rented by Tuesday afternoon. Jan Zimmer, who owned a dog grooming business for 37 years, manages the money.

The campgrounds busiest check-in day is Thursday, and by the end of the week 150 RVs and 100 tents will fill the baseball fields and gravel parking lot uphill on Northwest Carden Avenue. Over the past three years, theyve raised $17,000 for the Pendleton Babe Ruth Association. The couple rents spaces by reservation, and campers stay from the Sunday before Round-Up until the Sunday following.

But Jim Zimmer says he runs the operation by a simple mantra Phelps taught him: Theres always room for one more.?

Neither Jan or Jim Zimmer can name a single favorite memory from their time managing the temporary campgrounds.

Gosh, theres so many, Jan Zimmer said wistfully. So many stories to think about.?

But Jim Zimmer said hes come back all these years for one reason.

Just meeting the people,?he said. Anymore I dont even go to the rodeo.

Contact Chris Rizer at crizer@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836.