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Lorna H.L. (Zars) Hennig
1918- 2018
Lorna H.L. (Zars) Hennig, 99, of Watertown, died on Saturday, March 10,
2018, at Marquardt Health Center in Watertown, ending her 10-year residence
there. Lorna was born Aug. 8, 1918, in
Addison, Illinois, third child of six to parents William and Clara Cohrs Zars. Lorna was
baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Addison, on Aug. 18, 1918, and confirmed
at St. John Lutheran Church, Forest Park, Illinois, on March 20, 1932. She graduated from Provisio
Township High School in Maywood, Illinois, in 1936. On Oct. 10, 1937, Lorna married her
sweetheart, Paul J. Hennig Jr., and for the next 64 years until Paul died on
9/11/2001. She was a wife, mother of
six, stay-at-home entrepreneur, baby sitter, comforter, cheer-giver and
excellent cook/chef.
Because her husband
worked for the federal government and he was occasionally transferred, Lorna
lived in five different states and survived 15 changes of residence. Lorna also
got to travel overseas to England, Ireland, Germany, Israel and Hawaii.
In addition to
loving children, especially little ones, Lorna enjoyed working with arts and
crafts, and also using her beautiful soprano voice to
sing in church choirs and with her husband, Paul, to sing at various community
functions. In her final days, Lorna
could often be found sitting in her wheelchair down by the nurse’s station
softly singing songs. The excellent
staff at Marquardt found the easiest way to awaken Lorna was by softly singing
close to her . . . “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine . .
. ” Lorna’s greatest legacy was her love for her Lord Jesus and her
desire to give each of her children a rock-solid Christian education.
Lorna is survived by
her sister, Lillian Zars
Brown; her
daughters-in-law, Janice Lehman Hennig and Barbara Weyland
Hennig; her sons, James and Sandra Gabb Hennig and
Peter and Linda Wall Hennig; and her daughter, Kathleen Hennig Ragsdale. In addition, Lorna is survived by her
wonderful nephews and nieces, Marcus and Mickie Nitz, Bill and Kay Zars, David Staats, Arnie and
Mary Staats Peck, Joseph and Jane Brown, James and
Laura Brown, and James and Ruth Brown Nordan. Last but not least, Lorna is survived by 10 grandsons plus
spouses, nine granddaughters plus spouses, 49 great-grandchildren and 10
great-great-grandchildren.
Lorna was preceded
in death by her parents; two brothers, Wilbert and Arnold; two sisters, Hilma
and Evelyn; brothers-in-law, Harold Boesenberg, Gustav
Staats and William “Bill” Brown; and sister-in-law,
Margie Miller Zars. She was also preceded in death by
three sons, Paul III, Daniel and John; son-in-law, Jerry Ragsdale; daughter-inlaw, Patricia Hanson Knight Hennig; a granddaughter and a
great-grandson.
A funeral service
will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1611 E.
Main St., Watertown. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until the time of
service at the church. Burial will take place at a later date
in Oak Hill Cemetery in
Watertown.
Blest are those who
die in the Lord … Lorna is Home free … Hallelujah … Amen.
Pederson-Nowatka Funeral Home 213 S. Fifth St. Watertown
History of Watertown, Wisconsin