A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, June 29, 2023, at Light of Christ Lutheran Church in Delano with Pastor Bruce Kuenzel officiating. A visitation will precede the service from 9-10:45 a.m. at the church. Immediately following the service, a lunch reception will be held at the church.

Sara was born Dec. 29, 1957, in Fairmont, Minn., the daughter of Roland and Elizabeth (Chesley) Thiesse, the second youngest of nine children. She grew up on a dairy farm that had chickens and Belgian draft horses. She was baptized at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fairmont, Minn., and attended St. Paul’s Lutheran school until the 6th grade. She graduated from Ceylon High School, class of 1975. She continued her education at Mankato State College, The U of M, Waseca, and Mankato Vo-Tech. She obtained a degree in floriculture and greenhouse operations and a practical nursing degree. After school, Sara enlisted in the U.S. Army and proudly served as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and Sergeant until her honorable discharge. Over her career, Sara worked in a variety of jobs, but worked as an LPN for the past 15 years, most recently at Ridgeview Clinic, Delano. Sara married Douglas Riewe on July 15, 1981, and this union gave birth to her two sons, Seth and Tyler. She married Rick Zabel on Nov. 2, 2002. Rick’s two children, Dan Zabel and Tristen Boyd, joined their blended family. Sara and Rick resided in Delano, Minn. for all their married life together. Sara loved to spend time in her backyard garden, growing a variety of vegetables, perennials, and flowers. She enjoyed fishing with Rick, reading, crafting, arranging flowers, and decorating her home. She loved her grandchildren, Camden Riewe (6), Cole Riewe (5), Blakely Riewe (2), Jaxon Boyd (5), and spending any chance she could with them. She was the best grandma.

She is survived by her husband, Rick Zabel of Delano; children, Seth (Kim Lauritson) Riewe of Mound and Tyler (Breauna) Riewe of Blooming Prairie; stepchildren, Dan (Rachel) Zabel of Cokato and Tristen (Joe) Boyd of Champlin; siblings, Joel (Gloria) Thiesse of Welcome, Mick (Marge) Thiesse of Ceylon, Trudy (Larry) McMurtry of Lake Elmo, Bev (Jim) Reiman of Cannon Falls, Greg (Connie Urban) Thiesse of Fairmont; mother-in-law, Elaine Zabel of Delano; and many extended family members and friends. Greeting her in heaven were here parents, Roland and Elizabeth; brothers, Dudley, Steven, Russell; sisters-in-law, Betty, Kathy, Jackie; nephews, Chad, Quinten.

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