Jessica Elinor Van Tassel and William Frederick Zunke

JESSICA ELINOR VAN TASSEL, daughter of MERLE EVALINE SUTHERLAND and NEWMAN ALFRED VAN TASSEL, was born June 24, 1922,⁵⁶ and died May 28, 2011.⁵⁶

She married WILLIAM FREDERICK ZUNKE on March 14, 1942 in Student Presbyterian Center, Madison, Dane, Wisconsin.⁸⁵³⁸ He was born September 26, 1915 in Racine, Racine, Wisconsin,^{56, 168} and died February 18, 2003.⁵⁶

• Descendant Reports
  • Joseph Baker Descendant Report (Ancestor of Jessica E. Van Tassel)
  • William Sutherland Descendant Report (Ancestor of Jessica E. Van Tassel)
  • Samuel Stanley Descendant Report (Ancestor of Jessica E. Van Tassel)

Racine Journal Times, January 2, 1942⁹⁹⁴⁸

Betrothal Announced

Mrs. Merle VanTassel, Oshkosh, announced on New Year's day the engagement of her daughter, Jessica, to William F. Zunke, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. F. Zunke, 1243 Arthur avenue, Racine.

Miss Van Tassel is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, and Mr. Zunke, a 1941 graduate of the University of Wisconsin engineering school, is associated with Babcock and Wilcox company, New York. A March wedding is planned.

Racine Journal-Times, March 16, 1942⁸⁵³⁸

W. F. Zunke Takes Bride At Madison

With her bridegroom, William Frederick Zunke, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. F. Zunke, 1243 Arthur avenue, the former Jessica Elinor Van Tassel, daughter of Mrs. Merle Van Tassel of Oshkosh, will reside temporarily in New York City. The couple was married Saturday at a 4 oclcock service solemnized by Rev. Cecil Lower in the Student Presbyterian Center, Madison.

A group of immediate relatives and friends witnessed the service at which the bride wore an oyster white crepe dress, street length, with turf-tan accessories. Her corsage was of bronze orchids. She was given in marriage by her uncle, A. T. Sutherland of Madison.

Miss Marylon De LaMater of Chicago was her maid of honor and chose a silk jersey dress in pastel pink. She wore a small pink hat with black accessories.

Miss Ruth Zunke, also of Chicago, was bridesmaid. Her dress was similar to Miss DeLaMater's, but in pastel blue. Her hat and accessories were in navy. Both wore corsages of roses and sweetpeas.

Best man was August Strippel, Jr., of Racine. The three ushers, Robert G. Hanson, James T. Cook and LeRoy Peterson, were also from Racine.

An organ prelude was played by Frederick Fuller of Station WHA, Madison, and a reception for 75 followed in the lounge of the church.

The bridegroom is employed as an engineer in Akron, Ohio. The couple will return from the east April 15.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, February 21, 2003¹⁶⁸

William F. Zunke, 87, Port Charlotte, died Feb. 18, 2003.

He was born Sept. 26, 1915, in Racine, Wis., and came to Port Charlotte in 1987 from Milwaukee. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a mechanical engineering degree and was an engineer before retirement. A 33rd-degree Mason, he served as master of his lodge twice. He was a member of the Scottish Rite, the Shriners and a volunteer at Dousman Masonic Home. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Port Charlotte.

Survivors include his wife, Jessica; daughter Judith Zunke-Reding of Dallas; son Randall W. of Austin, Texas; and one grandchild.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Presbyterian Church in Port Charlotte. National Cremation Society, Port Charlotte chapter, is in charge.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Research, P.O. Box 2685, Port Charlotte, FL 33949; or to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607-1435.