Joanne A. Zander

Joanne A. Zander, age 85, of Maple Lake died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, at the Allina Health Buffalo Hospital. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 22, at Bethlehem United Church of Christ in Maple Lake with Pastor Marc Well Nagel officiating. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Evangelical United Church of Christ Cemetery in Albion Township. Visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Maple Lake and one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. A prayer service will be held 6 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral chapel. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the funeral home website. Joanne Audrey Carlson was born July 16, 1937, in Grafton, North Dakota, to Berent and Johanna (Thompson) Carlson. She grew up in Dahlen, North Dakota, graduating with the Class of 1955 from Dahlen High School. After high school, she worked in Minneapolis as a phone operator. On April 11, 1959, Joanne was united in marriage to James Herbert Zander at Salem English Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. They moved to Albion Township near Maple Lake to raise their family. In addition to helping Jim at the farm, Joanne worked numerous places in the area, including as a waitress at Ellis’ Steak House and Liberties Restaurant, both in Annandale, as a cleaner at Buffalo Hospital, and as a receptionist at Lakedale Telephone in Annandale, Setterberg Jewelers in Buffalo and the Wright County Courthouse in Buffalo. Joanne was an active member at Bethlehem United Church of Christ in Maple Lake. She served on the Women’s Guild, sang in the choir, and was a Sunday school teacher. Joanne loved to bring family and friends together at her table through her cooking and baking; she was known for her angel food cakes. She also enjoyed gardening at her home and singing for events at area churches. Her care and love for others will be greatly missed by her family and her community. She is survived by her children, Barry (Susie) Zander of Maple Lake, Noel (Karla) Zander of Buffalo, Valerie Zander of Buffalo and Mary Mero Zander of Crosby; grandchildren, Ivy (Eric) Wendt of Monticello, Dustin (Alysa) Zander of Maple Lake, Erica Zander of Hopkins and Zachary Parker of Maple Lake; great grandchildren, Hurley, Hailey, Hayz, Stella, Simon, Lenna, and Michael; brother, Ronnie Carlson (Ila Loken) of Bullhead, Arizona; sister, Delores Wermerskirchen of Monticello; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Berent and Johanna Carlson; husband, James Zander; son, Lynn John Zander; and brothers, Carroll, Urban, Sheldon “Buddy”, Leslie, Dorman and Dennis Carlson. Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial and Cremation Services of Maple Lake. The obituary, tribute wall, video tribute and funeral webcast are online at www.dingmannfuneral.com.