DIANE ZELLMANN

DIANE ZELLMANN

Diane Zellmann, age 75, passed away peacefully at Woodstone Senior Living in New Ulm, MN.

Memorial service will be 3 p.m. Thursday, October 7, 2021 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm. Pastor Kathleen Ulland-Klinkner will officiate.

Visitation will be from 1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, October 7, 2021 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm.

Diane Patricia Peterson was born on the Ides of March, 1946, in Ortonville, MN, to Philip and Beverly Peterson. She grew up around the corn, wheat and soybeans of Big Stone County with five giggling, squabbling sisters (Kay, Gloria, Cheryl, Pat, Peggy) and one overwhelmed brother (Greg).

After graduating from Clinton High School, Diane pursued a bachelor's degree in English at the University of Minnesota, Morris. There she met Lowell Zellmann of rural Cologne. For reasons no one could understand, she married him. They had fifty-three fine years of marriage, three in Benson, thirty in Fairfax and the last twenty in New Ulm. They had two kids, Shane in 1972 and Stacy in 1975, who shared Diane's warm smile and love of books. These two brats became the center of Diane's focus.

Diane worked as a junior high English teacher in Benson, as a librarian and English teacher at Cedar Mountain Schools, and as the children's librarian in the New Ulm Public Library. This last job was Diane's favorite for it combined two of her favorites: Eds and books. She was happiest meeting the challenges of Children's Story Hour and the Summer Reading Program.

Diane devoted most of her spare time to reading, golf and card playing. If there was a book club around, she was in it. She won the Mayflower Women's Golf Championship four times. Lowell refused to play double solitaire with her after she nearly broke his fingers.

A strange thing happened to Diane's brats. Their DNA code, in a single generation, evolved into angel DNA Chris and Stacy’s kids, Zoe and Owen, could do no wrong. Neither could Maida and Shane's kids, Aubrey and Helen. Nothing could make Diane smile easier than her four grandchildren. All four, according to Diane, were creative, musical, industrious sweethearts. She loved reading to them, shopping for their birthdays and attending their activities.

In short, Diane was a warm, wonderful woman whose smile and personality made people comfortable. We will miss her.

Memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association or the New Ulm Public Library.

Arrangements with Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, New Ulm, MN. To leave an online condolence for the family, or to sign the guestbook, please visit: www.mvfh.org.