Ellen Norma Zarnstorff

Ellen Schuette Zarnstorff, 90, of Cedar Rapids, IA, previously of Genoa City, WI, entered eternal peace at her home surrounded by family on November 14, 2017. Services will be at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Slades Corners, Wisconsin at 11:00 on November 18, 2017. Visitation will be from 9:00AM to 11:00AM at the church. The family invites everyone to stay for a luncheon at the church. Interment will follow at the St. John’s Cemetery.

Ellen was born in Genoa City June 1, 1927, the youngest child of George and Ida Becker Schuette. She graduated from Lake Geneva High School in 1946, and then married Donald Gordon Zarnstorff on April 12, 1947, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Slades Corners.  Don and Ellen built their house with their own hands and remained there until Don’s death in 2000.

Survivors include her children, Paulette (Jim) Roth of Phoenix, AZ; Claudette (Dan) Stohr of Twin Lakes, WI; Kathy (Pat) Ring of Trempeleau, WI; Gregg (Nola) Zarnstorff of Raleigh, NC; Dean (Toni) of Genoa City, WI; and Amy (Tom) Stanczyk of Cedar Rapids, IA. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Zarnstorff, parents, brothers George and Reuben, grandson Donald Stohr, and great-grandson Finnegan Ringdrowski.

Ellen’s faith and family were her focus. She was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and all six children were baptized and confirmed there.  She was a member of the Ladies’ Aid for 70 years.

Ellen loved baking, gardening, canning and she leaves behind her needlework handiwork for her family and church. She was the General Leader of the Bloomfield 4-H Club for many years and a member of the B12 Homemakers Club. Every Wednesday night for over 50 years, Don and Ellen played cards with friends at their home and enjoyed snowmobiling when the family was young. She was a diehard Cubs fan and was happy to see them win the World Series.

Ellen will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her humor and silly sayings will live on through all those who knew her. Please leave a message or tribute to Ellen’s family on the website, haaselockwoodfhs.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church or Hospice of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The Haase-Lockwood & Assoc. Funeral Home of Genoa City is serving the Zarnstorff Family.

 Service Information