JoAnn Zenzen

JoAnn V. Zenzen, age 70, of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at her home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 19 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Jeremy Theis officiating. Interment will be at St. John the Baptist Cemetery in Meire Grove. Mass will be live streamed and can be viewed at www.catholic-sc.org.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre.  There will be no visitation prior to the Mass on Thursday.

JoAnn Verna Koopmeiners was born June 30, 1950 in Melrose, Minnesota to Herman and Florence (Pohlmann) Koopmeiners. She graduated from Melrose High School. On August 16, 1969, she was united in marriage to Albin “Albie” Zenzen at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose. JoAnn worked at the CentraCare Clinic in Melrose for 21 years. She was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre, Christian Mothers, and Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary of Melrose.

JoAnn enjoyed playing cards, baking (she was known for her lemon meringue pie), cooking, walking, dancing, traveling, watching her grandkids’s activities, and praying at the St. Faustina Chapel. JoAnn was also known for giving good warm hugs.

Survivors include her son, Daryl (Abby) Zenzen of Sauk Centre; daughters, Sara (Mike) Decker of Melrose and Bethany (Darin) Krattenmaker of Holdingford; grandchildren, Amelia, Matthew, and Isaac Zenzen, Jacob and Claire Decker, and Caleb, Grant and Keegan Krattenmaker;  sisters and brother, Carol (Butch) Klaphake of Melrose, Mary Jane Austing of West St. Paul, and Jerry (Margie) Koopmeiners of Melrose; mother-in-law, Lydia Zenzen of Albany; sister-in-law, Aurelia Schwanke of St. Cloud; and brother-in-law, Steve Uphus of Hastings.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her husband, Albin “Albie” Zenzen on August 9, 2002; parents; twin sister, Joyce Koopmeiners; sisters, Irene Pohlmann, Margaret “Margie” Roering, and Florentine Roering; brothers, Elmer Koopmeiners, Berthold Koopmeiners, and James “Jim” Koopmeiners; father-in-law, Clarence Zenzen; brothers-in-law, Albert “Sonny” Austing, Lawrence Pohlmann, Gerald Roering, Marcellus “Sal” Roering, Arthur Zenzen, and Dave Schwanke; sisters-in-law, Verlia Koopmeiners, Cathy Koopmeiners, Mary Zenzen, and Anna Mae Uphus.

Serving as casket bearers will be Joey Klaphake, Ben Klaphake, Brady Klaphake, Nathan Klaphake, Neil Schneider, and Mason Schneider. Cross bearer will be Annette Schneider and scripture bearer and reader will be Tricia Klaphake.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Holy Family School in Sauk Centre.