While Zinter loved many sports

Long-time Owatonna High School choral director Albert Zinter lost his six-year battle with Parkinson’s disease on Sunday.

Zinter died Sunday morning at Clare Bridge in Owatonna. He was Owatonna High School’s choral director from 1991-2003, when he was replaced by current choral director Chris Harris. On Monday, Harris said the students loved Zinter.

Along with teaching music, Zinter helped run the Owatonna Community Chorus and umpired softball in the summer. Zinter’s friend of 50 years, OHS boys golf coach Keith Bangs, said Zinter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s shortly after Zinter retired from Owatonna in 2003.

Zinter came to Owatonna from Bloomington, Ill., in 1991 to replace Roger Tenney, who also taught music for years in Owatonna. Tenney was named National Teacher of the Year in 1967.

“Roger put choral on the map, so Al had some big shoes to fill,” Bangs said. “Al was up to the task.”

Jim Herzog was principal of OHS at the time and hired Zinter.

"We were so fortunate to have a first-rate musician following the retirement of Roger Tenney," Herzog said. "What struck me was his passion, his sincerity. He brought skill and passion to work every day. I have the highest regard for Al Zinter."

Owatonna band director Pete Guenther worked with Zinter for a couple of years before Zinter retired.

“Owatonna’s music tradition never wavered, choral in particular,” Guenther said. “There were high expectations when Al stepped into those shoes, but Al came in and made it his own. Then, Chris comes in and makes it his own. The promise of excellence is always there.”

As Guenther settled in as Owatonna’s band director in 2001-03, he saw firsthand the love Zinter had for his students and their love for him.

“Al always had a father-figure feel to him,” Guenther said. “He always taught his kids with a very gentle approach. He had expectations, but he always taught kids about life first. He was a very gentle man.”

Bangs was already at Owatonna High School when Tenney announced his retirement. He reached out to his former friend at Concordia-Moorhead and recommended that Zinter apply. At the time, Zinter was music director at a church in Bloomington, Ill.

Herzog said Zinter was a big reason that Owatonna's music program is so highly regarded around the state.

"I have always felt we have had the finest music program in the state, maybe the entire region," Herzog said. "The choral department has always been a solid component. All you have to do is mention our choir directors from Tenney through Zinter to Chris Harris. We have been very fortunate."

Bangs said that along with being a wonderful singer, Zinter was a strong athlete. Bangs said Zinter was a great tennis player. While Zinter loved many sports, Bangs could never sell him on golf, his personal favorite.

“He always tried to get me to play tennis, and I always tried to get him to play golf,” Bangs said. “Neither of us had any luck turning the other one.