OSHKOSH—Tonya L. Ziegler, age 41, passed away after a brief illness on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at UW Hospital, Madison. She was born on December 9, 1980, in Columbus to Mike and Lorraine (Ringelstetter) Kasmiski. Tonya was a 1999 graduate of Columbus High School.  She attended the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh where she earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2003 and Master of Social Work degree in 2006.  Tonya has worked for the past 15 years at Lakeland Care, Inc. in Oshkosh, most recently as a care management team lead, providing care to individuals with developmental disabilities.  Tonya was married to Christopher Ziegler on May 22, 2004 in Columbus and together they had two children.

When Tonya was little, her parents always talked about how important school was.  In one of those discussions, Tonya said, "I'm going to kindygarden and college."  It seems she was planning to skip all the schooling between.  She loved to read and kept that passion throughout her life.  Early one morning around 4 a.m., before she could even read, her mom heard her downstairs.  So, she went down and found Tonya sitting in the beanbag chair with a box of Cheerios, the dog at her side, and the JC Penney's catalog on her lap.  When asked what she was doing, Tonya replied, with a big smile on her face, "I'm reading a magazine."  Tonya spent her childhood in nature, and often by or in the river.  She loved to fish, and frogging was one of her favorite activities.  She also had fond memories of riding with her dad on his motorcycle and she enjoyed hiking and wine tasting with her mom.

Tonya loved being the mother of two wonderful children whom she loved fiercely and cherished beyond measure.  She was also a beloved daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, friend, neighbor, mentor, role model, and so much more.  She was full of life and accepted moral responsibility to be a good steward of the Earth. She taught her children the value of cultivating and caring for our world, gratefully making use of the natural resources God created and being one with nature. She loved spending quality time with family and friends and creating cherished memories, which she recorded with photos at every opportunity. She described herself as a blessed momma of two beautiful children and a spunky fur baby.

Tonya will be remembered for her acceptance of and kindness toward everyone she met.  She was filled with compassion for others and had a knack for helping people to be the best version of themselves.  She truly valued her friendships and worked hard to maintain them.  She also worked every day on finding work/life balance, taking time for self-care, spiritual growth, and especially on being the best mom anyone could ever ask for.  Tonya touched so many lives through her work and her personal life.  She had a contagious laugh and brought joy to everyone she met.  She will be deeply missed.

Survivors include her daughter Kylie and her son Ethan; parents Mike and Lorraine Kasmiski of Columbus; father of her children, Chris Ziegler of Hortonville; paternal grandmother Delores Kasmiski of Columbus; aunts and uncles Dennis (Chris) Kasmiski, Debbie (John) Snuggs, Pam (Tina) Sturz, Doug (Kim) Ringelstetter, Cindy Keyes, Annette (Dave) Fakes, Allen Ringelstetter, Judy (Brian) Wilson, Roger (Patricia) Ringelstetter, Dan (Peggy) Ringelstetter; special cousin Joann Ringelstetter; other relatives, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as her endless list of dear friends. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Louis and Mary Jane Ringelstetter; paternal grandfather, LaValle Kasmiski, and her beloved fur baby, Miss Molly.

Mike and Lorraine have asked that a "save the date" reminder be posted for Tonya's celebration of life event which is taking place July 9th at Savanna Oaks Community Center, 100 Savanna Road, Fall River, WI from 11:00 am -2:00 pm.

A private family service will be held on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at Jensen Funeral & Cremation, Columbus, with a public visitation from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  An outdoor celebration of Tonya's life will be held in 2022.  Memorials may be directed to Tonya Ziegler estate at Farmers & Merchants Union Bank, 159 W James St, Columbus, WI 53925 (for the benefit of her children), the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Inc., or the American Heart Association.

A special thank you to all the medical staff at Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh and UW Hospital in Madison for the kind and compassionate care Tonya received during her illness.