Theresa Zorman

THERESA J. ZORMAN, age 92, of Greenwood, WI, passed away on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at Lake Hallie Memory Care in Chippewa Falls, WI.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11am on Monday, July 29, 2024 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Greenwood.  Rev. Emmanuel Famiyeh will officiate, and burial will follow in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be: Kristine and Jeff Bleibaum, Sandy and Mark Toburen, David and Cathy Patridge, Dan and Tara Patridge, Shelly and Kim Skorlinski.  Visitation will be held at the church on Monday, from 9am until time of service.

Theresa Jane Krapf was born September 24, 1931 in Waukegan, IL to Charles Krapf, Sr. and Jennie (Koschak) Krapf.  When she was two years old, they moved to the town of Mead, rural Greenwood, to 80 acres of woods and rocks.  She graduated from Greenwood High School in 1949, attended River Falls State College, and through many night schools and summer sessions, earned her bachelor’s degree from Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire (now UW-Eau Claire).  She met Edward Zorman at a polka dance at Willard when he asked her to dance.  They knew Frankie Yankovich personally and attended many of his dances.  She and Eddie were married on November 22, 1956 at Holy Family Catholic Church, Willard.  They lived in Loyal for 20 years before building a home just outside of Greenwood where they raised their two daughters, Ann Marie "Mitzi" and Diane Lea.

Theresa taught at rural Greenwood and Willard schools, and after 33 years at the Loyal Elementary School, she retired in 1994.  In 1996, she sold her Greenwood country home and moved to Onalaska, WI.  She attended all her grandchildren’s games, plays, concerts, meets and recitals.  She also volunteered at their schools, at Gundersen Hospital and at St. Patrick’s Church.  Theresa transferred to the Onalaska American Legion Auxiliary #336.  She moved back to the city of Greenwood in 2014, where she belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary Post #238 and served as chaplain and treasurer.  She was a member of the Wisconsin Retired Educators, the Tri-County Retired Educators, the Loyal Red Hats, St. Mary’s Council of Catholic Women and served a term as president. She truly enjoyed her fish-fry cronies, Joan, Margaret, Dorothy, Caroline, Judy, Avis and Kay! She was very proud of her Slovenian heritage and belonged to the KSKJ Lodge, the Slovenian Union of America, and the Slovenska Družba Club.  Theresa travelled to Slovenia two times and corresponded with relatives there.  She also made a pilgrimage to Međugorje.

She loved to knit and sew, and made hundreds of rag dolls, dressing them in pink or blue bonnets and diapers for siblings of newborns at Gundersen Hospital.  She also made caps for those who had lost their hair.  Theresa knitted stocking caps for veterans in military hospitals and made countless caps and scarves for the homeless.  She also had a hobby of card-making and gave them away to friends and family.  Theresa, and her good friend Betty Schmidt, shared many, many days doing cards and “solving the world’s problems!”  She very much loved cats and had a favorite Siamese companion, Punkin, and later, Whiskey, who both brought her a lot of joy.

She is survived by her daughters: Mitzi (John) Rhude of Arcadia and Diane (John) Christophersen of Eau Claire; her grandchildren: Tyler Burrows, Kaylee (Terrel) Jacquet, Ciara Burrows, Abigail Oldenberg, Shanna (Cory Onsrud), Codey (Abby) and Blake Rhude, and Michael (Sarah) Christophersen; five great-grandchildren: Aurora Marie, Callen Roger, Selia Rose, Haven Michele and Charlotte Mae; her sister Elizabeth (Duane) Patridge; sister-in-law: Gale Zorman; many cousins, nieces and nephews, and her godchildren: Karen Roach, Kristine Bleibaum, Rochelle Skorlinski, and Daniel Patridge.

She was predeceased by her husband Edward, on January 14, 1994; her parents; her brother, Charles Jr.; sister-in-law, Eileen Krapf; her in-laws, Louis and Jennie Zorman; brothers-in-law, Albert and Rudy Zorman; sister-in-law, Roberta Zorman; and nephew, Rick Zorman.

Theresa was truly a kind and generous soul and touched the lives of so many students, colleagues, relatives and friends.  She will forever be dearly missed.  Her daughters would like to thank Heartland Hospice and the staff at Lake Hallie Memory Care for the care and comfort they provided. 

Online condolences may be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com

Cuddie Funeral Home of Greenwood, WI is assisting the family with arrangements.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.