Las Vegas woman recalled as activist for environment

With the death of Ann Zorn last month, Las Vegas lost one of its champions for the environment and quality of life, family and friends recalled Friday.

Besides being a devoted mother and wife of the late University of Nevada, Las Vegas president Roman Zorn, "she was also someone who cared very much about the Earth we live on and wanted to leave it better for future generations," daughter Frances Zorn said.

"It was very important to her that we do what we needed to do to have clean air in Clark County," she said.

Ann Anderson Zorn died April 15 after a yearlong bout with cancer. She was 81.

Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury remembered her as "one of the key players" in the effort to create and fund the Regional Flood Control District in 1986 through a portion of sales tax revenue.

"She was totally dedicated and was also very involved in our air quality action plan and the air pollution hearing board," Woodbury said.

"She was a very gentle person but she had a lot of inner strength and a commitment to environmental issues and improving the quality of life for the community," he said. "She had such strong integrity."

She had also been a member of a commission that explored irrigation issues surrounding the Garrison Dam in North Dakota.

Frances Zorn said her mother was recognized for her knowledge of water law and Western issues and encouraged North Dakota authorities to consider American Indian rights.

More recently, she had served on a growth task force for Clark County at age 79.

"She felt honored to be named for that," her daughter said.

Born in 1926 in Little Rock, Ark., she attended Wellesley College, a women's liberal arts college west of Boston. She later graduated from the University of Arkansas, where she met her husband.

The family moved to Las Vegas from Keene, N.H., in 1969 when he became president of UNLV, a post he held until 1973. Roman Zorn died in 2002.

Among her contributions to civic affairs in Las Vegas, Ann Zorn was active in the League of Women Voters.

Besides Frances Zorn, she is survived by daughters Carolyn Zorn, Marian Lawrence and Kathryn Zorn-Bracety; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service was held previously.