Cindy Lou Zellner

Cindy L. (Ritter) Zellner, 59, formerly of Rapid City, S.D., died of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease Dec. 19 at Peace Hospice.



Cremation has taken place under the direction of Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory. A memorial service, directed by Timothy Seery, is 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5 at First Congregational United Church of Christ (2900 9th Ave. South). Interment will take place at a later date in South Dakota.



Cindy was born May 4, 1953 in Edgemont, S.D., where she lived until her senior year of high school. Cindy gave birth to a baby girl and selflessly blessed another family through Lutheran Family Services with a closed adoption. Until the day she died Cindy had her baby's picture next to her. They were never reunited. Cindy was a proud birth mother but regretted never having met her daughter. After high school Cindy married Larry Renz of Hot Springs, S.D. They later divorced.



In 1978 Cindy joined the Navy and enjoyed every minute of her career. She attained the rank of Chief and was honored with so many awards her walls were full of trophies. She was Sailor of the Year and nominated multiple times for this same honor.



While living in Iceland, Cindy married Dennis Zellner. They later divorced. She lived and traveled the world, but her favorite place was Iceland, go figure! Her ports of call on the USS Santa Barbara were numerous. She loved the "Med" places like Spain and Italy. She sailed the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans and most of the seas. She has numerous photo albums to prove it. She retired in 1996 in Denver. This is where she began a second career with the USPS. She moved to Rapid City to become a window clerk and later became a letter sorter.



In Rapid City, Cindy bought a new construction home and filled it with her travel memories. She was diagnosed that year, at age 46, with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. For many years prior, Cindy had been tested for memory loss, repetitive questioning and paranoid behaviors. No one dreamed the results would come back with the dreaded "Alzheimer's" at such a young age.



Cindy continued to work at the Post Office doing mail sorting. It was a repetitive job that she could still manage. In 2008 Cindy got lost more often and displayed paranoid behaviors. She came to live in Great Falls with her cousins "Mo" Marilyn and Ritchie Secor. She willingly gave up her beautiful home and car. She could no longer drive. She was a real trooper.



Here in Great Falls, she shared Ritchie and Mo's condo with her dog Bisquit. She belonged to Curves, MLCC, Adopt a Bear Program and worked part time at Big Sky Quilts. She also participated in Phase III Drug Trials for Alzheimer's. A large apartment opened up at HIghgate Senior Living in 2009 and she made her next move to the assisted living facility. Cindy enjoyed her friends and caregivers at Highgate. Her disease worsened, bringing an apartment change and level of care was increased. Next, a major change in Cindy's disease occurred Christmas last year and she moved to Bee Hive Homes in spring of 2012. Friends and caregivers here in Great Falls learned a lot about Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Blessed are all the Alzheimer's caregivers and families. Never forgotten will be the wonderful end of life caregivers at hospice. It takes special folks to care for our loved ones.



Cindy is survived by her father, James Ritter; brother, Mike (Donna) Ritter and their four kids, Tuesday, Moira, Lowell and James; brother, Tony (Sharon) Ritter and their three kids, Eric, Amanda and Scott; cousins, Darrel (Linda) Clapman, Marilyn (Ritchie) Secor, Carleen (Scott) Peterson, Carolyn (Glen) Goodman, Cheryl (Tim) Van Hoecke; and extra special caregivers, Ellen Rasmussen and Thora Castling.



Cindy is preceded in death by grandparents, Faye and Carolyn Gunderson and Barabara and Louis Ritter; mom, Shirley Jean Ritter; cousin, David Clapman; and her favorite two aunts, Evelyn (Bob) Clapman and Joyce (Dick) Ott.



Memorials are suggested to the Great Falls Animal Foundation at PO Box 3426, Great Falls, MT 59403, or to Wounded Warriors at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/ or to a charity of your choice.



Happy New Year Everyone and Anchors Aweigh! - Cindy Lou Zellner



Condolences to the family may be left at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com