Rosella “Zell” M. Meier, 74, of Kearney died Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at her home. She was born November 27, 1943 in Kearney to Gilbert and Esther (Schake) Zimmerman. She grew up in Kearney and attended Zion Lutheran Grade School then graduated from Kearney High School. She then graduated from Kearney State College in 1965 and taught school in Minden for 2 years.
On June 4, 1969 she married William “Bill” Meier in Kearney. She obtained her Master’s Degree from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and then taught Physical Education at Kearney State College.
In 1969 Rozella was hired as the first volleyball coach at Kearney State College. When she retired after 24 years of coaching in 1993, her teams had compiled a 643 – 228 record. Her 643 victories are 10th on the all-time coaching list of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. In 1988, she was one of the first five to be inducted into the NAIA Volleyball Hall of Fame.
After retirement from UNK Rozella worked with her husband as owners and operators of Zimmerman Printers in Kearney until they sold the business in 2006. At that time, she and her husband became interested in country dancing, and then taught country dance at the college. In 2007, Rozella and Bill opened Meier’s Ballroom in Gibbon where they taught country line dancing and hosted many events. The last function at the ballroom before they sold it in 2017 was to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Rozella was a member of First Lutheran Church in Kearney and she and her husband enjoyed traveling and motorcycle riding.
Surviving relatives include her husband Bill of Kearney; her daughters, Kelli Meier of Phoenix, AZ and Kambi Jecminek and husband Nathan and grandchildren Taylor and Maximus of Denver.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral Services will be Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. at First Lutheran in Kearney. Rev.’s Michelle and Rick Carlson will officiate and burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. Visitation is planned Friday, March 23rd, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral Home in Kearney.
Memorials are suggested to First Lutheran Church or the University of Nebraska Foundation to support volleyball scholarships at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Online condolences may be submitted by visiting www.hlmkfuneral.com. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney are in charge of arrangements.