Eunice E (Johnson) Zeigler

 Funeral services for Eunice Zeigler will be 10:00 am Saturday, November 11, 2023, at Bethany Lutheran Church 2712 Washington Avenue, Iowa Falls, Iowa 50126. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, Friday November 10, 2023, at Linn's Funeral Home Iowa Falls Chapel. Burial will be at the Vinje Cemetery at Bethel Lutheran Church Scarville, Winnebago county, Iowa following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to support the Robert W. Barlow Memorial Library and Bethany Lutheran Church of Iowa Falls. 

Eunice E. Zeigler of Iowa Falls passed away at the wonderful age of 100 on Friday October 27, 2023. Eunice was born September 3, 1923 at her parent’s farm in Emmons, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Ned Johnson and Sophie Marie (Peterson) Johnson. She had two brothers: Glenn Johnson and Harland Johnson, and two sisters: Mae Norine (Johnson) Chalmers and Val Delores (Johnson) Gitlin. She attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and graduated with a teaching degree in 1943. She taught country school for two years during the war. Eunice was united in marriage to Wayne G. Zeigler on July 22, 1945. Eunice and Wayne had four children: Paul, David, Mark and Jeanette. She loved her family and her husband Wayne of 70 years. 

Eunice’s love of music began when she learned to play the piano at six years old. She had a gift for playing the piano that we have all enjoyed over the years. In many ways her piano playing bound us all together. She began to teach organ in Sioux City, Iowa, then played organ for the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Marion, Iowa. She continued to give piano lessons for over 50 years. 

She was proud of her Norwegian heritage and used her creative talents to teach rosemaling, tole painting, and klosterson stitchery. We all have one or two of her creations hanging in our homes. And let’s not forget those Norwegian expressions she often used: Uff da and tusen takk! Lefsa, kringla, and rosettes were always part of the holiday table fare. 

Eunice had a great sense of humor and a quick wit. She was an amazing storyteller as well as a writer. Her imagination was captivating and vivid as her children and grandchildren listened to her invent stories. She wrote stories about her memories of growing up, special experiences she had, and thoughtful expressions that will be cherished. Her life of 100 years had an abundance of adventures. She made a mean strawberry, rhubarb pie, enjoyed a good card or board game, and loved to travel far and wide with Wayne.

Eunice shared herself, her friendship, and her possessions with friends and family. She loved a good visit and had a way of making others feel important and cared for. She made a constant effort to keep her family close and connected. She was plain spoken, but encouraged, supported, and empowered her family to be all they could be.

Continuing the legacy that Eunice began are her four children: Paul (Phyllis “Tilly”) Zeigler of Montgomery, Ohio; David (Candace “Candy”) Zeigler of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Mark (Gwendolyn “Gae”) Zeigler of Iowa Falls, Iowa; and Jeanette (Paul) Winistorfer of Blacksburg, Virginia; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. We were so blessed to have her in our lives, especially in these many years of our adulthood! Though we miss our Mother in our daily lives, we look forward to the reunion to come.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.