Zander, Betty Jo Jackson 97, died peacefully on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at Sunrise Assisted Living, Roseville, MN. Betty Jo (BJ) was born July 24, 1926 in Columbus, Ohio to the late Warren Wilton (WW) and Edna Mariah (Rule) Jackson. She was the youngest of three sisters. Her sisters, Mary Louise (Jackson) Steadman and Jean (Jackson) Wilson preceded her in death. BJ earned her B.A. from The Ohio State University and her Ed.D. from the University of Minnesota. BJ married the late Donald Richard Zander in 1951 and they were wed 49 years before his passing. Three children were born of this union, Barb Zander (Dennis Casey) of VT, David Mark Zander of MN, and Amy Zander (Thomas Gerstenberger) of NY and AZ. BJ is survived by her three children, and two grandchildren, Jennifer Anne Zander, and Michael Patrick Zander, both of Minneapolis. She also has a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. BJ maintained an illustrious career in the field of education, serving as a high school art teacher, principal of Pratt Elementary (a Minneapolis Magnet School), Associate Superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools, and as a professor of Education at St. Thomas University, St. Paul, MN. She had a bright outlook and sense of humor and enjoyed her dogs, playing bridge, crossword puzzles and word games with family. She spent many summers enjoying hiking, sunbathing and tennis on Star Island in Cass Lake, MN. Over the years, BJ created several Art Cars, which served as her "daily drive" and were showcased in Art Car Parades in several states. In retirement, she served as a docent at the Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota Campus, and wintered on the oceanfront in Manzanillo, Mexico. BJ is remembered as a friend to many, a loving mother and grandmother, and a patron of the arts community in the Twin Cities. She will be sorely missed. A memorial service will be held in summer 2024.

Published on April 14, 2024