The campus community mourns the passing of Zerna Bower, who died on Thursday, Dec. 28. Zerna worked in Bucknell Dining Services since 2010. Her colleagues shared that Zerna was beloved by Bucknell students and her co-workers. She worked at Bison Fresh during the dinner hours and was famous for “Mac and Cheese Mondays” and “Zerna’s Chicken Parm.”
Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.
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On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Zerna’s family, as well as to all who knew her at Bucknell.
Zerna M. (Watkins) Bower, 61, died unexpectedly on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2021 at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg.
She was born on March 26, 1960 in Warren and was the daughter of the late John R. and Zerna M. (Lunger) Watkins.
Zerna married Robert F. Bower on Jan. 22, 2006 and they celebrated 15 years of marriage together last year. They were together as a couple for 37 years.
She was a graduate of Cambridge Springs High School, Class of 1978 and worked for Eat N Park and Bucknell University as a cook. Zerna enjoyed spending time with Robert and taking care of their ferrets.
In addition to her husband, Zerna is survived by three brothers; John R. Frank I. and Kenneth G. Watkins; six sisters, Linda D. Watkins, Cheryl D. French, Johnna M. Gilliland, Nancy G. Watkins, Sue Ann Caldwell and Stacie L. Farrington; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Zerna was preceded in death by one sister, Laura E. Hart.