Erin Marie Willard
Of South Carolina, passed away unexpectedly on September 30th, 2022 at the age of 23. She is the loving daughter of Thomas and Amy (Zamiska) Willard, loving sister of Ty Willard, McKenna Willard and Reagan Willard. Beloved granddaughter of John (deceased) & Deanna Willard and Edward (deceased) & Ona Zamiska. Loving niece of Scott (Janet) Zamiska, Mary Becka, Edward M. Zamiska (deceased), Danette Willard, Andy (Amy) Willard and Jean Bosecker. Caring cousin to many in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Florida.
A constant theme of Erin’s childhood was her ability to overcome obstacles. At birth, Erin struggled with numerous medical conditions and spend the first 10 days of her life in the NICU. When she was only 5, she was diagnosed with skin cancer. After multiple surgeries she was cancer free but the setbacks didn’t stop there. At the age of 12, she was diagnosed with an autonomic condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). For the next 11 years of her life, Erin struggled daily with numerous debilitating symptoms of POTS. Despite all of this, Erin remained loving, optimistic and resilient. The vast number of hours spent in the hospital inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field so she could provide the same loving care and support she received.
After graduating from Germantown High school, Erin attended Western Carolina University on a Track & Field Scholarship. During her time at WCU, Erin cofounded a nonprofit organization which provides awareness & resources for children with medical conditions. After graduating from college, Erin moved to South Carolina and worked as an Anesthesia Technician at the hospital while taking a year off to study for the MCATS.
When Erin wasn’t helping others, she enjoyed spending time exploring the outdoors. She was an avid beach enthusiast, surfer, loved her trips to Eagle River with her family and enjoyed spending every moment with her doggie daughter, Sophie. The two were inseparable, spending every free moment she had with her “daughter” and made sure to spoil her with one too many squeaky toys.
Erin was a beacon of irreplaceable light for our family will be remembered for her genuine goodness and vibrant personality. She loved music (especially the Mama Mia soundtrack) and always found a reason to dance, with or without music. She had an uncanny ability to extract even the slightest upside from a negative situation. She had a compassionate heart and was always there to help her friends or family through difficult times. Erin truly wanted to change the world and make it a better place. She had so much love to give to everyone, but just not enough time.
Services will be held at Schmidt Bartlet Funeral Home in Sussex WI on Saturday, October 8th from 12-3pm CT. Please come and celebrate Erin’s life by sharing stories of how Erin helped you or how she made you laugh. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to NLTOK (Not like the other kids) @ www.nltok.com . NLTOK is a non profit organization that Erin co-founded which helps bring awareness, provides resources and support to pediatric patients across America.
