Gloria Zickur

Gloria Mercedys Zickur was born at home to Andrew & Hulda Johnson (Thornberg) on June 12, 1931 on a farm in Erdahl Twp, Grant County MN.  She was the baby of the family.  She passed away at the Evansville Care Center on August 9, 2018 at the age of 87.  May she rest in the arms of her Lord.  Gloria attended country school and graduated from the 8th grade.  In Gloria’s teen years her mother passed away and she became the chief housekeeper and cook for her father and brother, even taking on the job of cooking for the thrashing crew when it was working at the Johnson farm.  As a young adult, Gloria ‘worked out’ for a family in Elbow Lake helping with a sewing and alteration business.  During this time, she discovered her love and great talent for sewing which she enjoyed for the rest of her life.  Gloria went on to sew wedding dresses, her own and her children’s clothing as well as running an upholstery business out of her kitchen.  She was also known to quickly put in a new zipper in a jacket or pair of jeans for one of her son’s friends, when the need arose.

Gloria married Kermit Zickur on January 31, 1953 in the Erdahl Lutheran Church and they resided on the Zickur Family farm their entire married life.  In 2012 she moved to the Evansville Care Center and remained there until her passing.  Her early days on the farm were filled with raising children and chickens, gardening, keeping the lawn looking good and running the ‘boat business’, as Kermit farmed.  Many of the people who came to camp and fish at Lake Ina became life-long friends, returning year after year to enjoy the lake and a visit with Gloria and Kerm.

Gloria and her husband had a strong faith in the Lord and looked to that faith for daily guidance.  They passed this same dedication on to their four children and their grandchildren.  Their home church and church family were a top priority for them.  They cared deeply for Christina Lake Church and gave their time cheerfully.

Gloria was a good neighbor always willing to help out where help was needed and a loyal friend to many.  She had a wonderful sense of humor and shared her contagious smile with everyone she came in contact with.  She loved to have fun and act a little silly.  Gloria was also quite the adrenaline junkie and excelled at winning jalopy races on a dirt track as a young girl, always chose a motor boat ride over a pontoon ride and was thrilled to go on helicopter rides.  She spent many nights dancing the night away and was always ready to put on a dab of lipstick and her dancing shoes if the opportunity presented itself.  Once the kids had moved away, going to Melby for coffee at the Outpost was a daily ritual.

Gloria loved her husband and family.  She taught her children the value of hard work and the reward of a job well done. Her wish for them was that they have a good life. She was the center of every family celebration; be it a wedding, a great-grandchild’s birthday party, a picnic or a hayride.  She will be truly missed.  What a relief to know she resides in our hearts.

Gloria was proceeded in death by her husband, Kermit, her parents and siblings and their spouses; Glen (Liela) Johnson, Hazel (Walter) Ostenson and brother, Vernon, her daily coffee partner for many years. Her in-laws; Frank and Tessie Zickur and brothers-in-law; Kenneth, Frank, Dale, and Charlie Zickur and numerous nieces and nephews.  Gloria is survived by her children:  Julie (Ken) Raap, Terry Zickur, Jaynne (Dave) Schouweiler and Tony (Carrie) Zickur; grandchildren: Rachael Anderson, Mike (Jana) Anderson, Dave Anderson (Mandy); Andrew (Katie) Zickur, Tracy Zickur (Wes); Megan Schouweiler (Logan);  Laura (Aric) Winarske, Zach Sawyer; and 11 great-grandchildren; many much-loved nieces and nephews and their families and her Christina Lake Church family.

Memorial Service: 2:00 PM, Monday, August 20, 2018, at Christina Lutheran Church of rural Evansville.

Visitation: Sunday from 4 to 7 PM, with a 6:30 PM Prayer Service, at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Evansville and one hour prior at the church.

Clergy: Rev. Mark Erickson

Interment: Christina Lake Cemetery

Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson of Evansville.

Condolences:GlendeNilson.com

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