Maryln Zahler

Maryln Zahler
July 2, 1931 – March 4, 2022
Maryln Zahler was a feisty New Yorker who lived a long, vibrant life of service and adventure which ended peacefully in Las Cruces New Mexico on March 4, 2022. Born July 2, 1931 to Mary and Herman Zahler, she was raised by her maternal grandparents Sam and Jenney Rund in Buffalo, New York. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education from the State University of New York at Brockport. Maryln worked for the US Army teaching the children of service members in Italy, Germany, and Morocco. During her service in Italy, she met Phyllis Blazer, who became her sister-friend and life companion. After classroom teaching, Maryln became a manager and executive of educational programs for deaf children and adults with disabilities in Western New York. She was an innovative leader in media for D'Youville College in Buffalo where she pioneered the use of television for instruction, long before Zoom, which she learned at age 90.
After Phyllis earned her PhD in History from the University of Buffalo, they moved to Florida where Maryln ran programs for seniors in Ft. Myers and pursued her passion for protecting animals. When Maryln and Phyllis retired to Las Cruces New Mexico in 1996, Maryln served on the Senior Programs Advisory Board for many years while becoming more involved in animal welfare and rescue efforts for pets, horses, and wolves. She collaborated with the Dona Ana Sheriff's Department to create a program that trained volunteers to assist animal control officers in the field. Maryln was a fearless and persistent advocate for the better treatment of animals during her tenure with the Humane Society of Southern New Mexico, which included advocating for the animals held at the County's Shelter. In 2015, she was awarded a prestigious Milagro Award by Animal Protection of New Mexico, Inc. A brief video of some of her many achievements highlighted during her award ceremony can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLZath9hLMY
In addition to traveling the world and exploring the natural wonders of the southwest and sanctuaries for wildlife, birds, and marine life, Maryln enjoyed playing bridge and poker, shooting pool and handguns in the Senior Olympics, learning pottery and gourd carving, and sharing her organizational experience and expertise on many advisory boards while sharing her life with Phyllis and their pets.
Those who knew her well describe Maryln as smart, feisty, inquisitive, intelligent, bold, daring, opinionated and outspoken, and fun-loving. She was also a loving, kind, and loyal friend who enjoyed good food, martinis, and good stories. She was a loving and supportive aunt and role model for her niece Nancy Zahler who lives in Trumansburg, New York with her spouse Judy Barringer.
Maryln was fortunate to have many dear and patient friends who enabled her to remain in her home for as long as possible and to have been cared for by her loving neighbor-angels Marie and Rito Abalos. Maryln spent her last six months in the care of an outstanding team of kind and skilled professionals at the Morningside Assisted Living facility in Las Cruces where she died peacefully on Friday, March 4, 2022.
Maryln was pre-deceased by her grandparents and parents, half-brother Joe Rund; nephew David R. Zahler (2001), brother Harry Zahler (2010); beloved sister-in-law Norma (2006); Phyllis Blazer (2015); and niece Toby A. Skorupski (2019). She is survived by her niece Nancy Zahler (Judy Barringer) of Trumansburg NY, grandniece Heather Skorupski McBee and grandnephew Scott Skorupski of Raleigh NC, and Merle Rund Slaten, daughter of her brother Joe Rund, Calabasas, CA, Beverly Blazer, Ohio, and her lifelong sister-friend Pat Areino in Rochester, NY. She will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by the many dear friends she made and cherished in all the places she lived and worked.

At Maryln's request, she was cremated with no services. For those wishing to honor her with a donation, the Humane Society of Southern New Mexico is about to be a founding partner of FixNChip-SNM, the first free to the public spay/neuter facility in Las Cruces and they will be honoring Maryln with a tribute wall and a FIX FUND in her name. Mail donations to HSSNM, PO Box 13826, Las Cruces, NM 88013 with Maryln Zahler in the memo line or donate online at https://www.hssnm.org/donate.