Phyllis I. Zentner

Phyllis Irene Alice (Abraham) Zentner was born December 8, 1931, the 4th daughter of Eddie & Leonora   (Luebke) Abraham. She lived in the town of Black Wolf her entire life, attending St. John & Widmer Schools. During her only year at Widmer, the pupils joined with Howlett School in May 1945 for the year’s last program of “Journey’s in Musicland” along with a picnic lunch and a ballgame. It was there she met Robert Henry Zentner when both were 13 years old. Six years later on May 12, 1951, they married.Phyllis was assistant den mother for her son’s Cub Scout troop including driving to Twin Lakes several times. She was also leader of her daughter’s Camp Fire group of 12, taking the girls to Camp Hiwela for many years. She taught Sunday and Bible School and sang with the choir starting in her teens. Phyllis was the first woman elected to the local cemetery board. She worked at old SNC for 5 years, then at Mercy Medical Center for 26 years as a unit clerk during which time she went back to  school to become an R.N. Phyllis graduated from FVTC with honors and then worked with testing for state boards.Phyllis and Bob were enthusiastic polka dancers. They traveled from Milwaukee to Minneapolis and several times to Arizona and Nevada for polka festivals. She also crocheted numerous afghans and created many wedding invitation candles.By 2003, Phyllis and Bob had traveled to all 50 states plus the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, Europe, including the Luther trip and Oberammergau, the Holy Land and Egypt. For their 50th Wedding Anniversary, Phyllis and Bob took their immediate family on an Alaskan cruise. They also spent time in Florida, one night en route in Illinois, sleeping in a fire station because of an ice/snow storm.
Surviving Phyllis are her daughter and son-in-law Patti and Lee Karlgaard, her son and daughter-in-law Randy and Mary Zentner, her grandson and spouse Travis and Kim Karlgaard. Grandsons John and Adam Plier, great-grandchildren, Dave Plier and Sydnie Kruse-Plier and god- children, Barbara (John) Larson and Kenneth Wilde.Preceding Phyllis were her husband of 61-1/2 years Robert, her parents, 3 sisters and their spouses, and In-laws. There will be a visitation on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 10 AM with service following at Noon at Calvary Lutheran Church 2580 W. Ninth Avenue, Oshkosh, WI 54904. Masks required indoors.Burial in St. John’s Cemetery next to Robert who called her his “girlfriend” to the end of his life.
Thank you to the staff at Ascension Mercy Hospital for their kind and compassionate care and to Calvary Lutheran Church for welcoming our family.