Obituary: Sally Woronick Zemke, 88, of Meriden

MERIDEN, CT - (From Wallingford Funeral Home) Sally Woronick Zemke, 88, of Meriden, passed away unexpectedly with her family by her side on Monday, December 20, 2021 at Midstate Medical Center. She was the beloved wife of Edward Zemke for over 70 years.

She was born in Meriden on July 6, 1933, a daughter of the late Peter and Pauline (Kejris) Woronick. Sally was the 3rd youngest in a family with 15 children. Raised in Meriden, she attended Meriden schools including St. Stans where she made many lifelong friends.

She was an active member of the Meriden High School Class of 1951. She met Edward, the love of her life, and they were married on October 27, 1951. Early on, she worked at Western Union, The Southern New England Telephone Company, and the Meriden Library, which was an appropriate job given her love of reading.

Her true desire though was to become a nurse. She graduated at the top of her class in LPN school and then she continued her education and became an RN after earning multiple degrees.

She had a very successful career at Meriden-Wallingford Hospital where she became the Director of 6 East. When Midstate Medical Center was built, Sally, after working as a psychiatric staff nurse, served as the Director of Psychiatric Nursing.

After she decided to work per diem, she continued to work as a staff nurse into her 81st year.

Sally loved her family beyond words. Everyone was special in her eyes. She was very supportive of all the activities and sports in which her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren participated.

Her favorite time of the year was Christmas. She loved seeing their Christmas tree decorated with all of the 1000's of ornaments she collected over the years. She enjoyed looking at Christmas lights, but mostly she enjoyed seeing the look on her family's faces when they opened the gifts she so generously bestowed upon everyone when the family all gathered at her house every Christmas Eve.

Sally loved to travel the world with her husband and together they visited all 7 of the continents. They took many cruises and made memories wherever they went.

Besides loving her family, she also loved driving her red Corvette and receiving love from her puppy, Princess. She also loved a good tea party, even going out of state to attend them, always looking like the Queen when she was wearing her tea hat.

Throughout her life, she had many adventures with her best friend, Sherly Weathers who she met in junior high. They not only went to Broadway shows but they attended plays all around Connecticut as well as taking trips to Saratoga.

In addition to her loving husband, Sally leaves behind her devoted daughters, Lori (Don) Stafstrom of Southington and Jacquelyn Aliotta of Meriden; her siblings, Anna Faltnoski of Portland, Charles and Thomas "Boomer" Woronick, both of Meriden, and her cherished grandchildren: Kerri (Brandon) Wagner, Anthony Vance, Richard (Christine) Vance, Steve Adduci, Edward (Devon) Adduci, Derek (Christina) Adduci, Crystal (Andrew) Frankel, Jason Stafstrom, Rachel (Dan) Berk, Jessie (Dan) Aliotta, and Tim Marshall; her great-grandchildren, Christopher Tarasiewicz, Ava Collazo, Amanda Wagner, Joseph Frankel, Isla Frankel, Hannah Adduci and Eddie Adduci; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her daughter, Cyndee Richmond; her sons in law, Bill Richmond and Guy Aliotta; and her siblings Anthony,Walter, Edward, and Peter Woronick and Phyllis Jacob, Gertrude Molinari, Albina Drechsler, Florence McGivern, Rose Clark, Virginia Howard, and Margaret Woronick.

We all love you and will miss you forever.

Sally’s family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main St. Ext, on Monday, December 27th from 4:00PM – 7:00PM and also on Tuesday, December 28th from 9:00AM – 10:00AM with a funeral service at 10:00AM.

Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to The Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Ave, Meriden CT 06450.