Cyril Zellmer

ZELLMER, CYRIL "ZEKE"- Cyril "Zeke" Zellmer passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, after a long battle with his health. A viewing is planned for 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Friday, March 23, at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Services will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 23, 2019 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel with Deacon Howard Herring officiating. Zeke will be interred at a later date with his wife, Wanda, in the columbarium at St. Peter Catholic Church.

Zeke was born on March 18, 1938, to Herman and Minnie (Kopetzky) Zellmer in Merrill, Wisconsin. He was the youngest of five children. His mother was an immigrant from Bohemia, who came to the United States through Ellis Island.

A career Air Force man, Zeke met Wanda Lewis while he was stationed here at Walker Air Force Base. They were married March 21, 1959, in the Walker Air Force Base chapel. Zeke loved his family, especially his grandchildren.
Zeke served in the US Air Force for almost 22 years and was stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base during the Tet Offensive in 1968. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force upon his retirement 1977.

As a native of Wisconsin, Zeke was an avid Green Bay Packer fan and loved to listen to old-time country music. He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). While at the DAV post in San Angelo, TX, Zeke would distribute free house slippers to nursing homes and other facilities in west Texas and New Mexico. He had a tender heart and loved helping people when he could, and he knew that these slippers could bring hope and a smile to someone in a nursing home. Zeke also helped coordinate rides from Roswell to the VA hospital in Albuquerque for a short time as part of the VVA.

Zeke was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Minnie Zellmer; his wife, Wanda Zellmer; his in-laws, Virgil and Florence Lewis; brother, Warren Zellmer; sisters, Mary Ann Blair and Phyllis Wallace; his brother-in-law, Ted Lewis and a long-time dear friend, Gene Fustos.

Survivors include two daughters, Liz Huddle and husband Mark of Roswell, and Cathy Brady and husband Tom of San Angelo, TX; six grandchildren, Sariah Noworatzky and husband Mark and children Bishop and Lila of San Angelo; Skyla Stewart and fiance' Maggie Philson of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Sydnee Ludlow and husband Diego Aceves and children Kensington and Benjamin of San Angelo; Meagan Ganze and husband Hunter and son Mark, all of Lubbock; Amanda Owens and husband Jason and children Remington, Hunter and McKayla, all of Maypearl, TX; Tiffany Cloud and husband Jarred and children Addison and Dalas of Albuquerque and Roswell; one brother, James Zellmer, of Merrill; and one brother-in-law, Virgil "Hank" Lewis and his wife Debra of Arizona. He also leaves behind some very dear friends - Rosemary Smith of Roswell, Winnie Fustos and daughter Jeanine Fustos of San Angelo, Dave and Marcee Little of Colorado, JoAnn Huddle, Paul and Lori Burrow and their family, and Bill and Kelly Bradshaw, all of Roswell.

The family extends a special thank you to the wonderful caregivers who took such good care of Zeke: Susan Gibson, Veronica Avila, Pricillia Lopez, Aurora Mayes and Maria Montoya, as well as all the others who played a role in caring for him through the years. A special thanks also to Dr. Mary Meyers Marquardt, Rhonda Martinez and Lorena Lyske-Acosta.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made in Zeke's name to The Roswell Humane Society or St. Peter's Good Samaritan.

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