Leo J. Zak

Leo J. Zak, age 98, of Richardson’s Corner, Hillman, MN, passed away Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at St. Gabriel’s Hospital in Little Falls, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 A.M. on Saturday (September 20) at Holy Family Catholic Church at Bull Dog Lake with Rev. Dr. Paul Fruth officiating. Burial will be held at Holy Family Parish Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 P.M. on Friday at the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel in Pierz, MN and from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. on Saturday at Holy Family Church. A rosary will be prayed at 6 P.M. on Friday at the Funeral Chapel. Arrangements are with the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel in Pierz, MN. Leo J. Zak was born February 15, 1910 in Pulaski Township, Morrison County, Minnesota to the late Walter & Anne (Schubert) Zak. Leo grew up in Hillman, MN area and saw many changes to the area over the last 98 years he has resided there. When Leo was five years old his father built a resort on the Platte River called Camp Thoroughfare. Leo worked at the resort helping his father for many years. Leo and his father, and brother also opened Zak Brothers Wild Rice Plant on the shores of the Platte River. With the wild rice they harvested they processed, packaged the rice and always included a recipe with the bag. In 1938 Leo was united in marriage to Louise Bruber in Holy Family Catholic Church at Bull Dog Lake. After the couple were united in marriage Leo farmed in the Hillman area also ran the resort on Platte Lake and continued picking rice and trapping. After After selling the resort Leo worked several different jobs but never gave up his rice picking and beaver trapping. He was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church at Bull Dog Lake which he helped build. Leo was also a charter member of the Richardson Township Lakes Area Lions Club for the past 15 years. Leo will be sadly missed by many family and friends who all came to know him as Grandpa. Leo is survived by wife Louise (Bruber) Zak of Pierz, MN; daughters, Mary (Ron) Boser of Hillman, MN and Midge (Bob) Baniecke of Hillman, MN; sisters, Louise Thommes of Lastrup, MN and Josephine Kainz of Harding, MN; grandsons, Doug (Anne) Boser of Andover, MN and Scott (Jeanette) Baniecke of Forest Lake, MN; great-grandchildren, Aaron, Andrew, & Alex Boser, Devin & Ethan Nagel., Rachel, Ryan, & Megan Baniecke. Leo is preceded in death by parents, Walter & Anne (Schubert) Zak; sister, Bertha Kahlhamer; brothers Pete & Al Zak.

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Leo J. Zak

February 15, 1910 - September 16, 2008