Arliss Mae Zillmer

Arliss Mae (Manske) Zillmer, 82, of Chicopee, MA, passed away at Evergreen Hospice Center in Kirkland, WA on December 22, 2014, with family at her side.

She was born in Chaseburg, WI, on September 25, 1932, to Albert and Bernice (Nicolai) Manske and was baptized at St.Peter’s Lutheran Church in Chaseburg. She grew up on the family farm and traveled widely prior to making her home and raising her family in Chicopee, MA. Arliss also provided care as a nursing assistant at The Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, MA. She worked in home healthcare and provided child care for many years.

Arliss was a long-time Red Cross volunteer whose lifetime whole blood donations totaled 32 gallons, as well as man pheresis donations; she also assisted in local blood drives and pheresis recruiting for many years. She had a special talent for gardening and was known for her beautiful flowers and plentiful tomatoes, which she shared generously with friends and family.

She was also an enthusiastic sports fan, particularly devoted to the New York Yankees from her childhood days in Wisconsin, cheering them on through thick and thin; she enjoyed attending Yankee games at both Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium and was happy to have seen Derek Jeter’s career from beginning to end.

She leaves to join those who have preceded her – her parents and her two sons, Mark and Scott. She leaves behind two daughters, Desiree, of Woodinville, WA, and Leslee, of St. Louis, MO, as well as a sister, MarianKoperetz, of Cudahy, WI, and a brother, Arlin Manske, of Chaseburg, WI.

Calling hours will be held at the Grise Funeral Home (280 Springfield Street, Chicopee) Wednesday, January 7, from 4 pm to 6 pm, with a short prayer service to follow. A private burial will be held at the convenience of the family. Grisé Funeral Home in Chicopee, MA (413-594-4189) is entrusted with the arrangements.