The Central City Republican-Nonpareil | January 1, 2026

Karen June Zimbelman, 82, of Central City, died on Sunday, December 21, 2025 at Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 2, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home in Central City with Pastor Gordon Paulsen officiating. Visitation will be held from noon until service time at the funeral home. Interment will be held on Saturday, January 3rd at 1:00 p.m. at Eden Cemetery in Hudson, South Dakota.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral. com.

Karen was born on June 11, 1943 in Oakes, North Dakota to Sylvester and Betty (Bartl) McNerney. She grew up in the Oakes area. She was united in marriage to Darryl Zimbelman, and they made their home in several places until settling in Hudson, South Dakota until his death in 2005. Karen remained in Hudson, until moving to Central City the last several years of her life. Most of Karen’s married life, she stayed home and raised her three children, until they were grown up. She then worked in radiology and most recently in nursing homes until her retirement.

Karen enjoyed sewing when she had younger children, doing word searches, reading magazines, and playing Yahtzee. Her greatest love was getting to spend time with her family, and cherished getting to stay home and raise her children while they were growing up.

Those left to cherish her memory are Karen’s children, Debra (Robert) McCarthy of North Platte, Jim Zimbelman (Michelle Vanosdall) of Kearney, and Brenda (Glen) Zwart of Ireton, Iowa; fourteen grandchildren; and seventeen great-grandchildren.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Darryl; her sister, Colleen Scott; one grandchild, Alex Zwart; and one great-granddaughter, Brynlee Zimbelman.