Claudia Ann Zinnecker was born in Glendive, Montana to Claude and Adena Hardy. She was the youngest of 3 girls. Her family moved to Helena when she was 8 years old and graduated from HelenaHigh School in 1954. She attended Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, and Montana State University and studied music before she married Blake Zinnecker in 1957.
As a young couple, Blake and Claudia tried farming and ranching in Montana. After 5 years of marriage, they had 3 children. Realizing the need to support their family of 5, Blake was accepted into the Veterinary College at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. After graduating in 1967 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Blake took a position with Raines Road Animal Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1970, Blake & Claudia purchased property in Olive Branch, Mississippi where, together, they built and ran a successful veterinary clinic for 16 years. They sold Blake’s practice and semi-retired to Newark, Arkansas in 1986 where they raised and raced greyhounds at various greyhound race tracks around the country. They finally “retired” and moved to East Helena in 1993 where they have lived for the past 20 years and have managed Space Place Storage.
Claudia was a member of Sweet Adeline’s of Helena for 10+ years and was an active member of Grace Community Fellowship church. She was a very sweet, loving beautiful woman and had many friends and family who will miss her dearly. Claudia loved God and people with all her heart!
Claudia was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Holly Sawerwine. She leaves behind her husband of 56 years, Blake Zinnecker; her 3 children (Shaunda Goss of Bullhead City, AZ, Rhe Zinnecker (Paul Nelson) of Seattle, WA and Randy Zinnecker of Las Vegas, NV); 5 grandchildren (Jesse Goss, Diana Goss, Kaden Goss, Will Zinnecker, Shaunda Nicole Zinnecker, Sara Zinnecker); 2 great-grandchildren (Stella Schneider and Mason Goss); her sister, Neva (Richard) Porte of Helena, MT; and her brother-in-law Dean (Pat) Zinnecker of Helena, MT.
A memorial service celebrating Claudia’s life will take place at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. A reception will follow the memorial service in the social hall at the funeral home. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. at Montana State Veterans cemetery at Fort Harrison. Memorials in Claudia’s name are suggested to the Hospice of St. Peter’s Hospital 2475 E. Broadway Street Helena, MT 59601, or Grace Community Fellowship Church, 37 S. Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601.
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday July 24, 2013
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, MT
Reception
Following the memorial service.
Wednesday July 24, 2013
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave
Helena, MT
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday July 24, 2013
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, MT
Reception
Following the memorial service.
Wednesday July 24, 2013
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave
Helena, MT
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Tom and Judy Rolfe says
Dear Blake,
We’re so sorry to have to say goodbye to Claudia. We had a wonderful visit last Sunday after church, we are both better people for having known and loved her. Please know you and your family are in our prayers, Claudia was truly a blessing to us all.
Jon and Karen Nelson says
We’re so sorry to hear of Claudia’s passing. Our prayers and thoughts will continue to be with the family in the days ahead. May God give you peace to all of you in this difficult time.
Martha McIntosh says
My deepest sympathies are with the Zinnecker family! I am Vernon Warren’s daughter and was teacher of the Zinnecker children at Olive Branch! We had a dairy farm down the road on Goodman when I was young! May God be with you!
Arlyn and Pearle Plowman says
Blake and family. We were so sad to hear of Claudia’s passing. She was truly a sweet saint, and will be missed greatly. Our hearts and prayers go out to you in this time of overwhelming grief. May our faithful Saviour be you strength and comfort.
Karen Wallace Bula says
Dear Shounda, Rhe , Randy and Mr. Zinnecker;
My deepest sympathy and prayers are with you all. May God Bless you all and bring you peace and comfort knowing that Mrs. Zinnecker is in the arms of The Lord and singing with the Angels.
Karen Wallace Bula
Olive Branch, MS
Mary Ellen Brown says
Dear Brother Blake and my nieces and nephews,
I would love to be with you this week, but just not possible at this time. Claudia has been on my prayer list for some time and our Prayer Circle has been praying for her for several months. We are all in mourning with you. Claudia was a very special person and very easy to love. She had a God given voice of an Angel and used it to worship Him. I am convinced that she was ready to meet her Lord face to face and is now in His arms.
In His Love, Mary Ellen
Sanna Porte says
My sweet Aunt Claudia — I will miss her so much. My heart goes out to Blake and all my Zinnecker cousins and their families. Love, Sanna
Marie Baldwin says
So sorry to hear of your loss. Thoughts and prayers are with the family
J Johnson says
My sincere condolences to the family and friends of Claudia Ann Zinnecker – I am sorry to hear of your loss. May you find comfort in many beautiful memories of Mrs. Zinnecker at this difficult time. The Bible tells us that it was never the Creator’s purpose for humans to suffer and die (Genesis 2:17). His word also gives us hope that soon the Creator will end all pain, suffering, and death. (Revelation 21:4) The promise of Paradise, the perfect conditions God originally intended for mankind in the Garden of Eden will include God’s “will being done as in Heaven also up on Earth” (Matt 6:9, 10). Please continue to be comforted by the many promises of a hopeful future in the Bible. (John 17:3).
Laura J. Delbridge says
My Dear Friends,
To be absent in the body, is to be in the presence of The Lord. What a glorious thought! My thoughts and prayers are with you all. May the memory of your wife and mother,and of her love for you, be a lifelong blessing. I, too, lost a parent on July 20th a few years back. My heart will now ache for you as well on that date in the coming years. Love to you all,
Laura Delbridge
Monty Brown says
Dear Blake, Shaunda, Rhe and Randy,
Our hearts ache for your loss. My Mother would want me to convey how much she loved Claudia. She’ll always be remembered as a sweet and kind person. To me, Aunt Claudia always seemed to balance the Zinnecker family with a “softer” side. She’ll be deeply missed.
Love to all,
Monty & Laila Brown
Ron Iverson says
Blake and family: I really enjoyed knowing Claudia. Always a big smile, and always a lovely laugh and conversationalist. Never a negative thought. I remember you and Claudia and I sitting in Butch Plowman’s adult Sunday School class and discussing many historical, Biblical and spiritual topics. You and Claudia and Butch were great mentors for me as I began my Christian journey. She will be sorely missed. God bless you all. Ron Iverson
Karen Landreth Camp says
I pray that God will comfort you in your loss.
Pat (Lingross) Gerhow says
Dearest Blake and family,
I was doing a search for you and Claudia on Facebook, and came across this page honoring Claudia. I am so very sorry for your loss. I have always treasured your wisdom, in mentoring me, as a very young wife in the 70’s, with a love of Shelties and Arabians in Victoria, MS. I still use your clinic, and enjoy teasing Dr. Ruth Wilburn about how long we’ve known each other. May God see you through this time, and know that your separation is only temporary. Prayers for you all! God bless! ~Pat
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