Anne Marr Zellner passed away at the Collier Hospice Center on November 20, 2012 at the age of 54. Anne was born on August 12, 1958 to Virginia and Robert Kemmin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She graduated from Marshall High School in Milwaukee at the age of 15 and went on to study accounting at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
During this time she met Joe Zellner and they were married in 1976. While living in Milwaukee, Anne worked several jobs.
The couple often traveled to northern Minnesota to hunt and fish and visited Cook County. While on a hunting trip they happened to meet Otis Wilson who invited them to visit a piece of property he was selling. The purchase fell into place and Anne and Joe moved to Cook County about 1984.
Anne worked a short time at Lutsen Resort before becoming employed in the Cook County Auditor’s Office and later at the Cook County Highway Department as an accountant. She was employed there until the beginning of 2012.
Anne’s interests included hunting, fishing, and fiber arts. She was particularly interested in spinning and knitting and was a member of the Fiber Arts Guild. She also was a volunteer and supporter of Youth Hockey, Cook County Soccer, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.
Her passion, however, was paddling. Anne was one of the top paddlers in her field. She entered many kayak races over the last 12 -13 years in the Midwest (from Two Harbors to Mississippi). She took first place three years in a row at Phat Water, Mississippi and took numerous first places in other races around the Midwest including Mora, Pictured Rocks, Washington Island and Gordon St. Croix. Her longest kayak trip was a paddle down the Mississippi River in 2007. She and her husband, Joe, traveled 2,150 miles in 64 days.
Anne is survived by her husband, Joe Zellner and their children Cody James Zellner and Heather Anne Zellner. She is also survived by a sister, Roberta (Tom) Baumann of Denver, Colorado. Her parents, Virginia and Robert Kemmin, precede Anne in death.
A memorial gathering to celebrate Anne’s life will be held at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Grand Marais in June. The exact date and time will be announced in the spring.
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