Mark, 
I am so sorry about your loss of Zella—she was such a lovely person!!!! I just happened to google her name and saw the obituary. What a tragedy!! I have many wonderful memories of being your neighbor on Gulkana Avenue  in Anchorage. We had some wonderful times together—going to restaurants and bars —yes, we danced!!!!; taking Tasha and Chinook on hikes; yakking on the phone for hours even though we lived next door!! I had so much respect for Zella’s knowledge of “all things dog” and enjoyed watching her train Tasha on agility in the backyard, even in the frigid Alaskan winter!
I remember how Zella glowed when she recounted your Hawaiian vacation and showed me the gorgeous quilt you got there. I remember her shock and pride at landing the big salmon on a fishing trip. I appreciated the devoted care she gave Chinook in our absences—and later, thoughtfully gave me a photo of him in a stained glass frame. 
I understood that she was a private person who preferred not to attempt long distance friendship maintenance when the military forced goodbyes, but I always did wonder and hope that your lives were happy.  I sometimes saw a photo  from her wins at dog events with your golden retriever!!
Please know how genuinely sorry Bill and I are for your loss, we cherish our memories of you all as a couple. I respected Zella’s uniqueness, her strong spirit and refined demeanor, her extraordinary beauty and gentle presence, and above all, her devotion to her dogs!
We retired in Proctorville OH and can be reached at ohioriverdogs@hotmail.com .
God bless.
Ilona and Bill Bulen

I was friends with Zella from high school  and remained friends through college. Unfortunately, we lost touch over the years. Zella was a beautiful girl inside and out. I am so glad I had the privilege to know her. RIP Zella.

you so exemplified the sport of obedience. Always kind and thoughtful, competitive but never angry or mad at your dog. The dog  obedience world has truly lost one of the great sportswoman ever. 

Remembering a wonderful puppy party with you guys. I cherish the memories of this fun day and several other adventures with you and Zella. Thinking of you and wishing you peace and comfort dear friend.  Best always. Love, tears, and big hugs, Sue, Keith, Teddy, Tess, Smudge, and Anna. 
❤🐶🐶🐱🐱❤

Dear Zella,

I have been sitting here for days, just staring at a blank page, hoping to compose the most beautiful words to say goodbye to my most beautiful cousin, but there are none. I can’t do it. I can’t find beautiful words when my heart is this broken. For months, almost on a daily basis, I begged you to stay strong, and keep fighting. And, keep fighting you did, until every last ounce of your strength was gone. I love you, Zella, and I’ll miss you forever


I  was so honored to have you as my friend and I treasure the times we shared.


What a wonderful lady you were.  I always will remember sitting and talking with you and watching you go into the ring with Baron and commanding the attention of those who were competing with you.  You never  had a mean thing to say about anyone and that is something your fellow competitors appreciated.

I remember the times when Gidget would come back to reality and do something good in the ring and you would come over to let me know how well you thought we did.

RIP dear Zella and one day we will meet again and perhaps there will be dog shows in heaven that we can enjoy together.
 

So saddened by Zella's passing. My heartfelt sympathy to you, Mark.
She was such a  great sport and such a credit to her sport!
She never wished that some dog would fail so that she could win unlike so many others. She was always so gracious and glad when others succeeded . Zella was a fierce competitor but most of all her love of her dog and the great bond she created gave her her deserved successes.
Trials  just won't be the same.

A good friend is someone you can trust totally with your deepest and darkest secrets, knowing full well that they would not share it with anyone else. A good friend will not break your trust and gossip behind your back. . .  

 A good friend is absolutely loyal to you through thick and thin. A good friend doesn't betray you when the going gets tough, backstabbing would never be found in your heart. . . 

A good friend is someone who is not a "YES person." They will not be afraid to criticize you or point out your flaws. A good friend will not think about pleasing you at all times by saying YES, when in fact the situation warrants that they say things which may be unpleasant, but true.

A good friend accepts you for what you are, no matter what the world thinks of you. 

These are words Zella clothed herself in.  You are missed. 

I will miss emailing you. Your positive attitude was amazing. I thank you for taking care of Angel. I know she will miss you.  Heaven got a beautiful addition when you arrived, May you have peace and happiness in heaven.

Zella, I didn’t know you for long, having moved to Florida the end of 2015. I quickly learned what a tough competitor you were, and a nice, sweet person as well. I remember the trial (I believe October of 2016 in Orlando?) when you weren’t feeling well and were going for some tests later that day.  And you showed the same day of the testing! Yes, that was about the time they discovered that dreaded cancer.  You were such a trooper. I’ve thought about you a lot, and respected your wishes for your privacy.  RIP sweet girl. 

Dear Zella,
I vividly recall my initial meeting of you and Mark at the 2012 NOC and was immediately struck by the interest you both showed in the sport of obedience. Some time later, it was my privilege to have you attend a seminar that I presented in Orlando. It was there that I got to know you better and admired your desire to learn the nuances of our sport - not only the "how" but the "why". You took copious notes and pumped me with questions.  Initially, you seemed a quiet, reserved, considerate and caring individual. The type of person that makes a decided impression and makes participation in the sport of obedience all worthwhile. As the years passed and my contact with you continued - through e-mails and telephone calls always relating to the resolution of some type of obedience problem - I discovered a courageous woman with unbelievable stamina to fight the illness that confronted her.  Zella, you exemplified the best of those involved in our sport, the reason for being, sharing and participating. It was a privilege and an honour to have known you and to call you a friend.
Joyce and I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Mark and other members of the family.                                                     

I will always remember the many times we showed our dogs together and how Pockets and Baron often ended up in run offs.  Remember in Lakeland when Harold ran us right up to a halt at the end gate and both of our dogs circled around us.  Your calm and gentle demeanor in the ring left an impression on all of us.  You will be missed and remembered.

Dearest Friend,  I am happy that you are no longer in pain and are free from all earthly cares.  Those of us left behind will forever miss your kind and generous spirit, your wonderful and quirky sense of humor and your quiet presence at our dog shows.  It was always a joy to watch you and Baron in the ring and so much fun to share our 'owl' stories.  I will miss our daily email chats and text visits and will hold you in my heart as an inspiration always.  Heaven has surely gained a special angel.

Dear Zella ,

Your passing  has brought me great sadness . And even though we morn your death ,I have great comfort in knowing your body is free and you are no longer in suffering and in pain . I am grateful to God that our paths in life  crossed and we got to share our passion for Dog Training and the Obedience Sport .I will always remember your kindness and encouraging words to all your fellow competitors as we entered the higher level classes.
You were a joy to watch in the Obedience Ring and I loved taking your pictures . I am glad we always kept in touch even through your illness and 
I still have that last email you sent me just last week  on my phone . I know you will be watching us and smiling from heaven . This is the way I will always remember you ....Till we meet again 

Zella, I only had the pleasure of meeting you on 2 occasions, but I'll never forget you.  God Bless....

Zella will be sorely missed by me and the rest of the competition dog obedience community.  She was a well respected competitor and more importantly, a wonderful person.  I really enjoyed sitting next to her at competitions and talking about all sorts of things that frequently had nothing to do with dog training.  I will probably miss her laugh the most.  It was heartfelt and contagious.  Sending hugs to Mark, their pups and the rest of her family.  Sending thanks to Zella for being a positive force in my life.  

OBITUARY

Zella Rose Bronakowski

18 March, 1963 – 8 July, 2018

Woodlawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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