The Lord spoke to Colleen Ziems, saying “my precious child, I love you and will never leave you. You have experienced too many trials and too much suffering. Come with me as I carry you home.”
Colleen K. “Bean” Ziems, of Marengo, was welcomed into Heaven by her Lord and Savior peacefully Saturday morning, September 3, 2011, at her home following a courageous battle with cancer. She was 45 years young.
On September 1, 1966, Colleen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a twin daughter of Galen “Mac” McHenry and Lois “Dina” (Evans) McHenry Knot. As a family they moved to Columbus, Ohio, in the late 1960’s, where she was raised and graduated from Briggs High School at the age of 16 after she and her twin sister, Cathy, skipped several grades together.
Shortly after graduating high school, Colleen and her sister worked for several years at Nationwide Insurance until she enlisted to serve in the U.S. Army. Due to medical reasons, she was honorably discharged after serving for a short period of time.
With dedication to her work, Colleen had been the manager of Castle’s on State Route 229, Sunoco on State Route 61, and several other restaurants, where she enjoyed making sure her customers were well taken care of.
While managing Sunoco, Colleen noticed she had a gentleman who seemed to really enjoy renting movies and eating at her Subway, David Ziems. After nearly a month of stopping every day and after surprising her with a huge load of wood for the wood burning stove at her house, David finally got the “yes” he had been hoping for when he asked her on their first date. They were there for each other at the perfect time, no matter the circumstance, and they two beautiful children, Nathan and Lillie, who were born out of that perfect timing. They shared a “wonderful time”… “a wonderful life”, and had hoped for another thirty years together.
A loving homemaker, Colleen was “tremendous” with her children and loved being there for them every moment. She was so proud of each of them, and cherished every second of their recent magical vacation to Florida.
A wonderful and enthusiastic chef, Colleen absolutely loved to cook and she had a way of making any meal be “the best of the best.”
A woman of deep faith and devotion, Colleen was a member of the Vineyard of Delaware County in Sunbury, where she was baptized.
Having a green thumb, Colleen loved gardening and tending to her flowers, having a knack for planting so that the flowers would bloom when the blooms of a different plant fell.
With her “super” and kind personality, everyone “couldn’t help but love Colleen.” She had a heart of gold, never turning any one away and never saying anything rude.
She will be dearly missed by her husband, David Ziems; two beloved children: Nathan and Lillie Ziems, all of Marengo; her mother, Dina Knot of Glouster; her father, Mac McHenry of Grove City; a step son, Zech Ziems of Mansfield; twin sister, Kathy Brown of Lebanon; three brothers: Sean (Carla) McHenry of Hilliard, Brian McHenry of Grove City, and Kelly McHenry of Florida; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.
Colleen’s family will greet friends from 1 to 3 p.m., on Tuesday, September 6, 2011, at the Snyder Funeral Home, Craven Chapel, 67 N. Main St., Mount Gilead. Services honoring her life will follow immediately at 3:00 p.m. with Pastor Danny Meyer officiating. Burial will follow in Marengo Cemetery.
Rather than flowers, her family requests memorial contributions be made to the Nathan and Lillie Ziems Scholarship Fund, and they may be sent to the care of the funeral home.
Snyder Funeral Homes of Mount Gilead is honored to have been chosen to serve Colleen’s family, and condolences may be expressed online to them by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
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