Obituary of Susan Ann Zender

Susan Ann Zender
(July 23, 1938 – August 24, 2024)

Susan A. Zender (nee Smith) passed away peacefully in the Bella Groves Care Facility, Bulverde, TX on August 24, 2024.

Sue was born in Philadelphia, PA on July 23, 1938, to Charles Casimir and Lillian Irene Smith. Sue grew up in St. Paul, MN, and graduated from Our Lady of Peace Catholic High School in 1956.

She met the love of her life and future husband Albert John Zender while she was working at the University of St. Thomas where he was a student. They were married on August 20, 1960, and relocated shortly thereafter to Tracy, MN, where Al went to work for his father at Tracy Bottling Company.

Sue and Al raised their 4 kids, John, Mary, Mike and Meg, in Tracy, where Sue was active in numerous community affairs. She was active in St. Mary’s Church and School, where there was never a function that didn’t feature her baked goods. She was integral in the Tracy Public Library and Tracy Country Club, where she and Al played golf regularly. Both Al and Sue were active volunteers for Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl on a local, state and national level. She was a committed volunteer for Meals on Wheels and made sure as many nursing home residents as possible were transported to St. Mary’s for weekly Mass.

Sue was a sharp, quick witted trivia master, crossword puzzle guru and (near) world-class bridge player. When you were Sue’s bridge partner, you were sure to count your points properly and bid only according to established practice. Sue loved knitting, crocheting, sewing and needlepoint.

Both Al and Sue loved spending time with their grandkids, and Sue took special pleasure in every aspect of being a grandmother, hosting large gatherings of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Al and Sue travelled extensively in retirement, with trips to play golf all over the United States and Europe, and Sue was especially fond of the trip to England where the airline lost her luggage, and she spent 10 days living out of her carry-on – which was proof of her ingenuity. She was slightly disappointed when the rest of the baggage turned up on day 11.

Al and Sue moved to a home near New Prague, MN in 2004, to be closer to their adult children and grandchildren, and when Al passed away unexpectedly in 2011, Sue moved into New Prague. She made many close friends and additional bridge partners in her new community.

In 2022, due to health concerns, Sue moved to San Antonio, Texas, to be near family.

Sue is preceded in death by her husband, father, mother and daughter and son-in-law Mary and Jim Munson, brother David Smith, sister Kathy Smith and Al’s parents and siblings. She is survived by sister Barbara (Jack) Norton, brother Richard Smith, sons John (Gicela) Zender and Mike Zender (Paige Shreeve) and daughter Margaret (Neil) Butchart, 16 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

The family will have a memorial service in San Antonio, Texas on August 31, 2024, followed by interment at Fort Snelling, Minnesota later in the year.