Betty Lois Zell

BETTY LOIS (POSSIN) ZELL, age 95, of Janesville passed away surrounded by family on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at Whispering Creek in Janesville.

Born on March 25, 1929 in Freedom Township, rural Janesville, Betty was the daughter of Otto and Bertha (Schendel) Possin. She was baptized on April 21,1929 and confirmed in her faith on March 29, 1942 by Rev. H.C. Mueller at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Freedom Township. She attended Immanuel Lutheran School where she was involved in their youth groups and church choir. She graduated from Waldorf High School. During the summers she worked at Birdseye in Waseca. After graduating, she worked at EF Johnson Co. and First National Bank in Waseca. She married Harvey Zell on September 2, 1955 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Freedom Township rural Janesville by Rev. F.W. Parduhn. They lived and raised their family on the Zell Family Farm.

She became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Wilton Township where she belonged to their ladies aid and altar guild. She enjoyed canning, gardening, growing flowers, raising chickens, and ducks. She also worked nights for a few years at Birdseye and Brown Printing to supplement the family farm. In 1989, Betty and Harvey rented out their farmland and moved out to Alma City. They continued to clean up and mow at the farm. She kept busy mowing grass, gathering walnuts, shoveling snow and helping babysit her grandchildren. She created many memory and photo albums for her children and grandchildren. 

She is survived by her children, Lonny (Darla) Zell of Alma City, Audrey (Marlon) Rudolph of Pemberton, Amy (Daren) Arndt of Waseca; grandchildren, Heather (David) Ehlke, Bridget (Cody Woodard) Zell, Jeremy (Jolene) Zell, Nicholas (Lily) Zell, Melissa (Jason) Raddatz, Brittany Arndt and Tyler (Abbie Hermel) Arndt; great-grandchildren, Desiree Strand, Dylan Krueger, Layla Cline, Dawson Ehlke, Jaden Ehlke, Maddison Hasse, Alma Zell, Leonora Zell, Grace Raddatz, Maverick Raddatz, and Holden Zell; great great-grandchild, Braelynn Strand.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; siblings, Mabel (Arthur) Kreutz, Lenora (Clarence) Witt, Elaine (Harry) Witt, Erwin (Elinore) Possin, Ewald Possin, Gerald (Viva) Possin; great-grandchildren, Mabel Rose and August James.

Funeral Service will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wilton Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow in Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.