Zola A Schwabel

Zola Ann Schwabel passed away peacefully on her 81st birthday, July 14, 2024, with her daughter, Kelly by her side. She lived a full, colourful, happy life and was a dedicated loving wife to her late husband, Gerald. 

 Zola was born and grew up in Buffalo, NY, daughter of Ethel and S. Howard Payne, a world-renowned prosthodontistwho became the Dean of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Buffalo. She had a very close relationship with her only sibling, Cheryl Lee. 

 She spent her youth In Buffalo graduating high school there. But went away for University in Boston, enjoying her college years considering it a good, fun and friendly town. She made many friends and was active in the university clubs. She loved outdoor activities and joined both the Ski Club and Tennis Club, amongst others. 

 She spent her career spreading joy with her stylistic talents with many people and businesses as an Event Coordinator in upstate NY for Six Flags Darien Lake and Fantasy Island Amusement Parks. She also worked as an Administrative Assistant to a franchise of the McDonald’s corporation and Holiday Inn Hotels and for the Chamber of Commerce in Niagara Falls, NY.

 Zola moved to a small town in Springville, NY, working at a local Department Store. At that time, she had a short marriage where she gained a loving relationship with her step-children, Michael (7), Kelly (5) and Daniel (3) years of age when they met. The family moved to Grand Island, NY where she invested her time and efforts raising the children, supporting their education and life skills, and encouraged them to participate in many school and after school activities. She was Kelly’s Girl Scout Troop Leader for many years, which solidified their very special bond together. Although the marriage ended, she remained close to the children, fostering their life-long relationships that yet continue to flourish. 

 In 1982, Zola married Gerald Schwabel living in a beautiful home on Grand Island, in upstate NY. Her career kept her very busy and was also very social. Aside, when home she used her creativity in knitting luxurious, colorful, ornate scarves and making beaded and stone jewellery. She had a small side business, “Zola,” selling her wares in local artisan shops. Zola and Gerald loved playing golf with each other and friends. 

 In 2009, both Zola and Gerald retired and moved to Las Vegas, NV to be closer to Zola’s sister, Cheryl Rogers, married to Bill Rogers, to spend their retirement years together. Not used to the heat of Las Vegas, they purchased a home across form the golf course in Smithfield, Utah, to spend the summer seasons more comfortably. Here, both Zola and Gerald found a wonderful sense of community making many friends within the community they lived. With their close friends, they found a renewed passion for outdoor activities, especially joining a convoy of 4-wheelers to enjoy the natural beauty of the Utah mountains, weekly. They both said they spent the happiest years of their lives in the Chateaus at Birch Creek community. 

She thoroughly enjoyed her many travels to Africa and Alaska to visit her children and family. 

 When Gerald passed, in January 2022, Zola sold their home in Las Vegas to live full time in Utah. She was baptized May 20, 2022 in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and became an active participant in Ward 17 in Smithfield. Zola found a new enlightenment with the church and supportive relationships that she developed. 

She will long be remembered for her personal sense of flare and style, and her infectious, positive happy nature by those that knew her; her many loving friends, neighbours, and family. She is survived by her daughter, Kelly Landen; two sons Michael Landowski & Daniel Landen (married to Bethann Landen), two granddaughters, Sarah & Rylee Landen and two half-sisters, Denise Payne and Dr. Jennifer Trask. 

 A Celebration of Life and Memorial services is being held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 340 E 300 S, Smithfield on July 18th at 1100, viewing with be prior from 0930-1100. She will lay to rest next to her beloved, Gerald, in Smithfield City Cemetery.