Heidi Zellmer, 58
Heidi Ann Zellmer was born to eternal life on September 4th, 2024. She died peacefully at home in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, surrounded by loved ones, after a miraculous nearly nine year journey with brain cancer.
Heidi’s story began on February 7, 1966, a subzero winter day, in remote Fairbanks, Alaska. She was the middle child of Madeleine and Robert Betz (d.1991) and grew up far from other family with sister, Christine, and brother Tom. Yet their childhood home often bustled with neighbors, friends, exchange students, and visitors. The family camped, hiked, traveled, and valued learning about varied places and cultures. She was an AFS high school exchange student to Switzerland in 1983. Heidi’s gifts of hospitality and love of exploring distant lands took shape early.
Coming home from Pacific Lutheran University one summer, she met a guy on jury duty, a murder trial, no less. They convicted the offender and she married John Zellmer on June 27, 1987. Heidi graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in 1989, with a degree in elementary education. She and John settled in Wisconsin in 1990 and raised three children, Zachary, Ben, and Aaron. In 1991, John and Heidi started their business, Custom View Windows. Customers often remarked on Heidi’s friendly manner and beautiful voice. Some of them even became good friends, as she gave of herself generously to others and the community.
Heidi’s life was God-centered, and she grew in faith with her family, the community of First Immanuel Lutheran Church, and her wide circle of beloved friends. She found spiritual strength in prayer and devotional reading, participated in prayer groups including Moms in Prayer, and became a Stephen Minister to accompany others through challenging times. After her cancer diagnosis and surgery in 2015, she even trained her pet to be a therapy dog for cancer patients in treatment and children having trouble reading. Picture Heidi in the elementary school library as kids read to her fluffy, white Annie-dog in the Read to Rover program. Heidi cared, she connected, she served others.
Heidi shared her love of reading widely as librarian and then teacher at First Immanuel Lutheran School. She enjoyed book groups and always had a good recommendation. Biking and hiking local trails kept her active and grateful for the beauty of the natural world. She and her family delighted in traveling to Costa Rica, Hawaii, Alaska, Grand Cayman, Europe, and on long driving trips across the U.S. Her family will treasure the memories and beautiful photo books she often created after a trip.
She is survived by her husband, John Zellmer, and sons Zachary Zellmer (31) with wife Krista, Ben Zellmer (19), and Aaron Zellmer (17), her mother Madeleine Betz, sister Christine Betz Hall with husband Jim, and brother Thomas Betz with wife Joelyn, sister-in-law Julie (Zellmer) Lynch with husband Mark, brothers-in-law Jerry Zellmer with wife Natalie, Scott Zellmer with wife Jackie, Steve Zellmer with wife Debbie, and many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The family offers deep gratitude to all the friends, family, neighbors, and members of the church community who have extended their help, love, and support.
A memorial service WAS held at 3:30 pm on Sunday, September 8th, at First Immanuel Lutheran Church, W67N622 Evergreen Blvd., Cedarburg Wisconsin.