Nancy B. Zingelman

Nancy B. Zingelman, 94, of Fair Oaks, CA, was called to eternal life on October 22, 2025. She was born on July 18, 1931, in Stevens Point, WI, to Robert and Mary Brinkmann.

Nancy graduated from high school in Waupun, WI, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. She was stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base in CA where she was a weather observer. She loved to point out various cloud formations and wake her children in the middle of the night to watch a good thunderstorm. After her four years of service, she attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, where she met the love of her life, Alan Zingelman. They were married in 1958 in a double wedding with her sister Donna Brinkmann and James Malone. Nancy and Alan were married for nearly 56 years until Alan’s death in 2014.

After they married, Nancy and Alan lived in New York, Milwaukee and raised their family in Oconomowoc, WI. In their later years, they relocated to Sacramento, CA, where they built a home overlooking an air strip on a former Air Force base. Nancy enjoyed playing cards – bridge, sheepshead, hand and foot, kings in the corner. You name a card game, and she played it. Within minutes of walking in the door, you were sitting at the kitchen table shuffling. If you knew Nancy, you most likely have a coaster with your initial and your favorite colors. She made them for family, friends, neighbors, the postman, the waiter at Denny’s, and the staff at her senior living community. Needlepoint Nancy has single-handedly protected thousands of coffee tables from unsightly water marks.

She was a devoted Catholic and had a close relationship with St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost needlepoint needles. He may have a little spare time on his hands now if you need help finding anything.

Nancy was a loving mother and will be greatly missed by her children: Anne (Mark) Novotny, Tom (Blanca) Zingelman, and Alane (Dave) Saphner. Her spirit will live on in her six grandchildren, Dillon Novotny, Amye Zingelman, Caleb (Victoria) Zingelman, Sarah (Jacob) Shaw, Zachary and Lauren Saphner, and great-grandson Rory Zingelman. She was preceded in death by her husband Alan, and her sisters Delores Shimi, Donna Malone and Lois Donahue. She is survived by many nieces, nephews and friends.

Special thanks to the exceptional staff at Cali Care for their compassion and kindness.

A visitation will be held on Friday, December 5 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. at St. John Vianney Church (10497 Coloma Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670). Military honors will be accorded immediately preceding the mass.