Sylvester R. Zech, 93
December 30, 1908 - November 18, 2002
Sylvester R. Zech, 93 of Melrose died Monday at the Melrose Area Hospital.
Funeral services will be 11:30 a.m. Friday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Melrose with Rev. Kenneth Thielmann and Rev. George Zeck officiating. Interment will follow in Christ the King Cemetery in Browerville.
Friends may call Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be at 8 pm followed by St. Bernard’s Catholic Aid rosary at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Sylvester Zech was born on December 30, 1908 in Browerville, Minnesota to Frank and Julia (Gonsior) Zech. He attended grade school in District #9 Hartford Township. After school he worked on the farm with his parents until 1934.He married Frances B. Goike on June 4, 1934 at Browerville. Sylvester worked at a grocery store in Browerville and in 1937 they bought a grocery store in Grey Eagle. They moved to Meire Grove in 1940 where he was also in the grocery business. They moved to Freeport in 1944 where he was employed by Kraft Foods as a cheese supervisor. They moved to Melrose in 1949 and he continued with Kraft Foods until 1962. They moved to Minneapolis where he was employed by Automatic Products for 13 ½ years. They returned to Melrose in 1991 and made Park View Center their home. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Melrose and St. Bernard’s Catholic Aid.
Survivors include his children, Virginia Williams (Al) of Minneapolis, Audrey Urbany of Cypress, CA, Carol Casey (Ed) of Breckenridge and Ann Schwieters (Glenn) of Waseca; brother, Sam Zech (Kathryn) of Browerville; 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, spouse, Frances Zech on Sept. 13, 1998; 4 brothers and 4 sisters.
Casket bearers will be Kurt and Mark Schwieters, Carl, Patrick and Andrew Casey, Richard Williams and Robert and Mark Urbany. Cross bearer will be Michael Casey and scripture bearer will be Kathleen Clemente. Honorary bearers will be residents of Park View Center and Eymard and Lucille Orth.