Visitation will be at noon on Saturday, March 8 (today), with a prayer service at 1:45 pm. Funeral mass will follow at 2 p.m. at the Helgeson Funeral Chapel in Roseau. Military honors will be conducted by the Roseau Memorial Honor Guard. Interment will be held at the Pine Creek Cemetery in the spring.
Richard Raymond Zak was born July 12, 1924 in Duluth, to Frank and Anna (Krzoska) Zak and grew up in Roseau County. Richard was a veteran of World War II and was very proud of his service to his country. After his honorable discharge in 1946, he came back to Roseau County and married Mertrice Wick and had five children, while pursuing an Independent Heavy Equipment Business and starting a Farming career.
In 1952, he bought a farm east of Strathcona to raise his family. During the winter months, he often went to Texas or North Dakota to work the oil rigs. Richard also found time to pursue his love for flying and became a licensed Pilot. He owned his own plane and loved to tell his stories of hunting wolves and fox in the north woods of Minnesota during low flying ventures.
In addition to flying, his favorite hobbies were hunting, especially with his boys, Allan, Danny and Brian. Not only was he known for his skill in custom dozing, but as Chief Mechanic in the Army, there is no piece of equipment he could not take apart, repair and make into just about any type of machine.
All who knew him will smile to remember his great story telling and how he loved to reminisce about the “good old days with a cup of coffee and a piece of Margie’s bread pudding.”
Survivors include his children, LeAnn (Howard) Kay of Highland Beach, Fla., Sherry Zak of Mesa, Ariz., Brian (Debbie) Zak of Carver, Allan (Naomi) Zak of Thief River Falls; his sisters, Margie Przekwas and Marlene Kvien, both of Roseau; his brothers, Donald (Barbara) Zak of Roseau, Delbert Zak of Greenbush; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and his special friend, Arlene Newman of Strathcona.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Clarence and Gary Zak; a sister, Evelyn Zak; and his son, Danny Zak.
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