Magna Loretta (Bjerkeng) Zillmann was born at home in Lawton, WI on April 10, 1913 and passed away, December 6, 2012 at the Christian Community Home in Hudson, WI. She was the third daughter of Jens and Emma (Mossing) Bjerkeng. Sometime in her early years the family moved to Spring Valley where “Mugs” (as she was known to all) graduated from high school. She worked in her father’s creamery following high school until marriage to H. Richard Zillmann on September 2, 1938. The newlyweds moved to Roberts, WI where Richard was the principle of the school. Later they moved to Baldwin where “Dick” taught school in Baldwin and also bought into the Chevrolet dealership. Magna and Dick lived in Baldwin for nearly fifty years. During these years they had five children: Bob, Julie, Ric, Cathy and Loren. Mugs and Dick were very involved in the PTA while their children were in school. She was also involved with the Hospital Guild, the Lutheran Ladies Aid, was occasional accompanist for the Gethsemane choir and Baldwin Dutch Masters, men’s choral group, and played the organ at Gethsemane in an as needed basis as well as helping out at the dealership in the office when needed. Mugs was an avid card player and played bridge until just a few years ago. She also enjoyed euchre and other card games. She loved to read and travel and visited many foreign countries, including China, Norway, Israel, Germany, and more. Mugs could be ready to take a trip in minutes! She took many cruises, both ocean and riverboat cruises, and loved learning new things about the United States. Mugs was a die-hard Viking fan and enjoyed watching them, the Twins and other local teams on TV in her later years. Mugs and Dick moved to Hudson in 1987. Dick passed away in 1989 but Mugs stayed there as she had involved herself in the Wintergreen community, where she lived, as their librarian as well as being a volunteer at the Octagon House. 

She is preceded in death by: her parents Jens and Emma Bjerkeng, her husband Dick, siblings and spouses Synnove (Morris) Nystrom, Elma (Cecil) Calvert, Millie (Ove) Berven, Phoebe (Earl) Cote, brother Lars (Lucy) Bjerkeng and grandson Aaron Beckon.

Mugs is survived by: children Robert (Barbara)of Bella Vista, Arkansas, Julie (Duane) Kuhn of Hillsboro, Oregon, Richard (Mary) of Plymouth, Minnesota, Catherine Zillmann of Hillsboro, Oregon and Loren (Terry) Baldwin, Wisconsin. Also, grandchildren: Daniel Zillmann, Duane (Holly) Kuhn II, Gregory (Beth)Kuhn, Tim (Erin)Kuhn, Kathleen Kuhn (Bradley Clark), Amy (Josh)Tovar, Jeffrey Zillmann, Ryan Zillmann, Nicholas Zillmann, Richard Zillmann and step-grandchildren: Shannon (Andy) Strom, Erin (Jason) Gunelson and Patrick Welch, and great-grandchildren: Lanette (Bradley) Nelson, Travis Kuhn (Allison), Shelby Kuhn, Hayley Kuhn, Christian Kuhn,  Sean Kuhn and Mykaela Tovar and step-great-grandchildren: Oliver Strom and Lillian Gunelson. She is also survived by several cousins as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. We shall all miss her presence as the head of this family.

Funeral service will be held at 2PM, Thursday December 13 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Baldwin. Burial will be in the Baldwin Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at Gethsemane on Thursday afternoon. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Gethsemane Lutheran Church Scholarship or Music Funds, or the Baldwin Food Bank. Funeral services entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Homes of Baldwin/Hudson.