Mabel Katherine Zellhoefer Punzel, widow of Ferdinand Frederick Punzel, died November 14, 2007. She was born on January 11, 1910 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and lived in Madison, Wisconsin before moving to Savannah, Georgia in 1959 and then to Lakeland, Florida in 2006. After completing her Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee, she began her teaching career in a one-room school. She later continued her career in teaching and teacher training at Whitewater State Teachers’ College now the University of Wisconsin/Whitewater and the Savannah-Chatham public school system. She completed a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin/Madison and a Reading Specialist Certificate from the University of Georgia. While in Georgia, where she had a life certificate, she taught elementary grades, remedial reading and classes for the gifted.

She was a life member of the Georgia Retired Educators, an emeritus member of the Chatham Retired Educators Association, and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary where she had been commander and was still active as membership chairperson. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Alpha Tau Chapter, the American Association of University Women Savannah Branch, AARP, the Association of Retired Americans, and an associate member of Bethesda of Watertown, Wisconsin. She was active in her church, Trinity Lutheran in Savannah, as a member of the Bible Class, the “Over 50” Club, the Day Lily Group and as a librarian. She attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lakeland, Florida prior to her death.

Her husband and her sister, Julia Zellhoefer Florine of Wausau, Wisconsin, preceded her in death. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan P. and Ronald J. Conner of Lakeland, Florida and Betsy and R. M. Hunter of Otto, North Carolina and two grandchildren Nicole Johnnie Griffis Reutlinger and her husband Christopher Reutlinger of Atlanta and Neal Jeffrey Griffis and his wife Jessica Griffis of Atlanta and three great-grand daughters, Taylor Reutlinger, Emma Leighann Griffis, and Abigail McKenna Griffis. She is also survived by a number of step-grand children and great-grand children. A niece Joyce Bulley of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin and a nephew James Florine of Hendersonville, North Carolina also survive her.

Visitation will be Friday, November 16, 2007 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Fox and Weeks Hodgson Chapel. Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 17, 2007 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 19, 2007 at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.

Remembrances should be forwarded to Trinity Lutheran Church 12391 Mercy Boulevard, Savannah, Georgia 31419 or Saint Paul Lutheran Church 4450 Harden Boulevard, Lakeland, Florida 33813.