Miriam Zietlow Obituary

Graveside Services: Graveside services will be held on Friday, July 18, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the Fontanelle Cemetery, Fontanelle, Iowa. Pastor Tim Hummel will officiate the service. A luncheon will be held at the Summerset Estates Commons following the services at the cemetery. The Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle is in charge of the professional arrangements. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneral homes.com.

Memorials: Memorials may be directed to The Pony Express Station, Gothenburg, NE, The Fontanelle Public Library, Fontanelle Iowa or the Gothenburg Public School Foundation.

Miriam Joann Zietlow unexpectedly passed away January 5, 2025 at her home in Gothenburg, NE.

She was born September 11, 1947 to parents, Elsie Marie (Knorr) Zietlow and William Frank Zietlow.

Although Miriam had no children of her own, she embraced her role of aunt and great aunt, always taking a keen interest in her niece and nephew and their children, supporting them in all of their activities. Miriam attended Bridgewater-Fontanelle High School in Fontanelle, Iowa and went on to Creston Junior College in Creston Iowa, Parsons College, Fairfield Iowa and Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville, MO graduating with a teaching degree in physical education and health. She accepted a job at Gothenburg Public Schools, Gothenburg, NE and spent her entire career teaching junior high students. She retired in 2005 and began helping and working at the Pony Express Station in Gothenburg - a good fit for Miriam who loved visiting with people and sharing her knowledge of Ehman Park and The Pony Express, winning two awards: in 2012, The Friend of Tourism Award, from Chamber of Commerce, Gothenburg, NE and in 2015 the Nebraska Travel Industry Award for outstanding Frontline employees for their contributions to their communities.

She belonged for 25 years to Alpha Delta Kappa, a teachers’ sorority, thinking up many projects to benefit the community and the school. She also served for several years as the historian.

She is survived by three sisters, Marilyn Zietlow, Sterling, Illinois, Lillian Nichols, Bridgewater, Iowa and Virginia Zietlow, Stuart, Iowa, nephew Charles Nichols (Laurie) of Wichita, KS their children Nathan and Megan Schulte-Nichols, Natalie Nichols and Ryan Nichols, niece Deborah Wetterberg (Brandon) and their children Sarah Wetterberg and Katelyn Wetterberg, plus many other relatives and friends.