Everett Zinser

Everett Arthur Zinser, DDS, 90 ROCKFORD - Everett Arthur Zinser, DDS, 90, of Rockford, formerly of Freeport, died early Thursday morning, March 17, 2011, in his home at Morning Star Village, having lived a full, productive and healthy life. Everett was born July 4, 1920, on a farm near Hooppole, the eldest son of Arthur Edward and Edith Cora (Roberts) Zinser. He attended Hooppole schools and graduated from Prophetstown High School in 1938. After one season of farming, he enrolled in the University of Illinois and attended classes until his U.S. Army ROTC unit was called to active duty. While stationed at Fort Knox, Ky., he married Lucille Darlene Holton of Kewanee on Nov. 25, 1944, in Jeffersonville, Ind. After a tour in the Philippines and World War II ended, he received an honorable discharge at the rank of second lieutenant. In 1947, Everett and Lucille returned to Champaign-Urbana, where he received a B.S. in agriculture. From the fall of 1948 until spring of 1951, they lived in Chicago and Elmhurst while he attended Loyola University School of Dentistry. He received his DDS degree from Loyola in 1951 and moved to Freeport, where after receiving his license as a dentist on Aug. 21, 1951, he established a general practice. He practiced full time until 1983 and continued to care for a few patients until he gave up his license in 1994. During retirement, he remained active spending time with his grandchildren and enjoying golfing, snow skiing, hunting, fishing and playing piano. He split his time between Freeport, the desert of southern California, the mountains of Colorado and the island of Maui. During the nearly 60 years he lived in Freeport, Everett was active in numerous professional and civic organizations. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Lucille; children, Mark (Liza) Zinser of Tamunig, Guam, Jan (Clark) Wangaard of Belvidere and Brian (Virginia) Zinser of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.; grandchildren, Todd Wangaard of Arlington, Va., Christian Wangaard of Denver, Colo., Caroline Zinser of New Orleans, John Zinser of Pensacola, Fla., and Casey Zinser of Tamunig, Guam; and seven siblings. He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother; brother; and a sister. The family would like to thank the staff of Morning Star Village, Transitions Hospice and hospice nurse Julie Brock in making the final weeks of Everett's life with Lucille comfortable. A memorial service will be later this summer in Freeport. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Transitions Hospice, 5100 E. State St., Rockford, IL 61108. Arrangements by Olson Funeral & Cremation Services, Ltd., 1001 Second Ave. To share a memory or condolence online, visit olsonfh.com.