“Nicole was an amazing person,” said sorority sister Heather Brockway. “We are going to miss her incredibly — she was an awesome friend and a huge part of our sorority.”
Other friends described Nicole as “an organized, outspoken person who was a great friend to many people.”
"More than anything else, our dear Nicole loved life and cherished the people she loved," the family said. "She has shown each of us how precious each day is and how important it is to never take anything for granted. Her smile, her laughter and her beauty will forever live in our memory, and we will miss her deeply."
A Winona State University business prof remembered senior Nicole Zanoni as a "beautiful soul." Prof Kimberlee Snyder said: "She was bright, promising, organized, intellectual and detail oriented. When an assignment was given she always made sure to get it in on time."
The family called her fiancee, Brian Van Kleeck, who survived the accident, "her soulmate and the love of her life." Said the obituary: "Even in death their hearts will remain joined."
Every year Nicole's parents donate a scholarship to an outstanding member in the sorority, in Nicole's name. The scholarship is a special way to remember Nicole. The sorority also has a tree in her name on the Winona State campus.
