Anne K. Zernzach, age 72, of Omro, died Monday afternoon, January 5, 2009, at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh. She was born August 12, 1936, in Green Bay, WI, the daughter of Leo and Adeline (Rieder) Haanen. Anne married Dr. Rudolph Zernzach on February 1, 1964, in De Pere, WI. Gardening was something Anne loved to do. She would use her green thumb to take care of and nourish her many flowers and plants. Her creativity would come to life when she would take an item from nature and make it into something of beauty. Anne's giving personality was evidenced by her love of teaching, family and her faith. During this past year, she taught all of us her greatest lessons in faith by the inspirational courage and grace she demonstrated in the face of a difficult struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Anne will always be loved and missed by her husband, Dr. Rudolph Zernzach of Omro; her children, Dr. Randall and Christine Zernzach and their children, Tess and Kate, of Xenia, Ohio; Frances and Dan McCarthy and their children, Jake, Grace and Claire, of Aurora, Illinois; Margaret and Bobby Perich and their children, Madeleine and Leo, of Phoenix, Arizona and Peter Zernzach of Oshkosh; sister, Donna Haanen; her life long friend, Barb Stengel; other relatives and many friends. Anne was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Matthew Zernzach, who died in 1993; and her brother, Thomas Haanen.

A Private Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Friday, January 9, 2009 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Omro. Anne will be laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oshkosh. Memorials in Anne's name may be directed to the American Institute for Cancer Research, 1759 R Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20069 or to any local food pantry.

The family would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff at the Wachtel Cancer Care Center in Oshkosh and the visiting nurses, for the exceptional care given to Anne and the rest of the family.