Zella DePasse, 89
Zella DePasse, 89, formerly of Ozark County, died Nov. 27, 2025, in Centennial, Colorado. A memorial service and interment of cremains will take place this spring in Ozark County.
Born Dec. 3, 1935, near Zanoni, Zella was the eldest daughter of Aaron Edward Strong and Nettie Mamie High Strong.
Zella attended public schools primarily in Ozark County and St. Joseph, Missouri, and went on to graduate as valedictorian from Wichita East High School in Wichita, Kansas, in 1952. Her first car—a turquoise 1953 Oldsmobile—was a source of pride and fond memories. She continued her education at Central Christian College (now Oklahoma Christian University) and later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Administrative Science from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles in 1967. She attributed both her academic and professional accomplishments to the work ethic she gained while helping on her family's Missouri farm from the age of three.
While living in California, Zella taught college courses at several institutions, including Pierce College and Oxnard Business College. During this time, she met Dennis DePasse, whom she married on April 6, 1963. They welcomed two sons: Stephen, born in 1965, and Darren, born in 1968. Zella later earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California Lutheran University in 1976 and was accepted for Mensa membership, reflecting her lifelong love of learning and intellectual curiosity.
In 1978, seeking to return closer to their Midwestern roots, Zella and her family relocated from Thousand Oaks, California, to Owasso, Oklahoma, near Tulsa. After working for several organizations in the Tulsa metro area, including Tulsa Junior College, she joined Amoco Production Company (Standard Oil of Indiana), where she worked in the Controller’s Department.
In 1987, as part of a corporate relocation, Zella, Dennis, and Darren moved to Katy, Texas. There, she held a regional accounting position as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA; licensed in 1982). During her tenure at Amoco, she also served as an expert witness in a high-profile court case related to her work. Zella retired from Amoco in the mid-1990s.
Following retirement, Zella and Dennis moved to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where they made their home until Dennis’s passing in 2024. In Colorado, Zella continued to enjoy working with numbers, detail, and precision, and spent time working for H&R Block.
Zella enjoyed genealogy, tending to her plants and flowers, traveling, following political news, and—most of all—spending time with her grandchildren and “granddogs.” A lifelong attendee and later member of the Church of Christ, she followed the example set by her parents. Zella was a devoted and fierce advocate for her family. She also delighted in a few lighthearted brushes with fame, including a job interview involving a family member of Aneta Corsaut (“Miss Crump” from The Andy Griffith Show) in Wichita, and attending church alongside Pat Boone and his family while living in California.
She is survived by her sons: Stephen (Julie) and Darren, both of the Denver, Colorado, area; her sister, Patsy Bouckaert of Wellington, Kansas; her sister, Darla (Will) Czimer and family of the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, area; and her grandsons: Riley (Abby) of the Denver area and Mitchell (Allyson) of the Oklahoma City area.
Zella was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis DePasse; her parents, Aaron and Nettie Strong; her brother, Edward Strong; and her sister, Stella Strong Thompson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mountain States Children’s Home, 14780 N. 107th Street, Longmont, CO 80504, or online at msch.org.