Saratoga Springs – Rosanna (Rosy) S. Zinn passed away peacefully at Wesley Health Care Center on Friday, May 22, 2015. She was 84.
She graduated from Wittenberg University in 1951, and was subsequently employed as a teacher in Troy, OH. She later joined her husband at Ft. Lee, VA. After his army tour ended, they moved back to their home town.
The family moved to Fairborn, OH in 1960, where her husband was an educator. They subsequently moved to Miami University of Ohio and onto Ohio University while he attended graduate school. Then another move to Vermilion, OH.
At that point, with her children all settled in school, Rosy really began a major phase of her life, completely immersed in that community as: a member of American Association of University Women, active church member, substitute teacher and beginning antique collector.
In 1971 there was a move to the Bethlehem School system in Delmar, NY. She immediately became involved in church and community, and since Rosy was always a lover of all domestic animals, she became a clerical assistant at the Delmar Animal Hospital.
After 15 years in Delmar, Rosy and her husband moved to Saratoga Springs because he had been appointed as the new superintendent. All three children were on their own at that point in time. Once again Rosy involved herself in many community minded projects such as: the church outreach efforts, Yaddo Gardens, the Saratoga master gardener program, volunteer for Hospice, horticultural therapy at the Home of the Good Shepherd for “senior” women. E.O.C. soup kitchen, cooking breakfast at The Salvation Army, Congress Park Museum volunteer, AOET-support for a child in Africa, creating her huge collection of handmade quilts, and on and on. Her crowning achievement as a volunteer was her service to Heifer International, which provides livestock and many other needs for destitute families in developing countries and even within the USA. Over several years she raised over $125,000 which Heifer International used to gift animals-with the proviso that the first born of each of these animals had to be passed on to another destitute family, etc., etc. So, over the years that she was actively involved, and every year since, families all around the world are receiving animals that provide milk, money, meat and often schooling for children. Her good works lived on! Soroptimist International of Saratoga County presented Rosy with their 2002 WOMAN HELPING WOMEN AWARD.
Rosy is survived by her loving husband of 64 years, Larry; her son, Timothy; daughters Debbie (Ken) Gall and Lori (Allen) Archer; and grandchildren Ashley and Evan Gall and Hannah and Emily Archer.
A memorial service to remember Rosy will be held at 10am, Saturday, June. 20, 2015, at the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church (175 Fifth Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY).
Rosanna’s family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorials donations may be made in her memory to The Community Hospice of Saratoga (179 Lawrence Street, Saratoga Springs, NY) or Heifer International (Attn: Donor Relations, PO Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72202).
Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.
