December 3, 1943 - October 15, 2024
George Zech, 80, of West Bend, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. Funeral Services were held on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Mallard United Methodist Church in Mallard at 2 p.m. Services were livestreamed via Lentz Funeral Home’s website. Visitation was held one hour prior to the service. Services have been entrusted to Lentz Funeral Home of Mallard. www.lentzfuneralhome.com
George was born at home east of Mallard on Dec. 3, 1943, to Arnold and Edna (Nieman) Zech. He spent most of his youth at this address and attended the Mallard Community School from Kindergarten graduating in 1962. He was FFA President along with playing football and basketball. After graduation he attended Business College in Omaha for two years, graduating with a business degree. While in school he worked at several jobs part time.
After graduating he returned to Mallard to farm and work at the Fertilizer plant in Emmetsburg. June of 1964, George and Marilyn Leslein were married at the Mallard Methodist Church. They became proud parents of a daughter, Shelley, in April of 1967. She soon became a farmer’s daughter riding in the tractor or uptown with her dad.
George helped on many community offices. He was President of the Mallard United Methodist Church Council for over 30 years, Chairman of the Palo Alto County Extension for 17 years and a member of Farm Bureau’s Board.
George’s love of life was to farm and he was definitely a true farmer taking care of the land with proper chemicals and knew exactly what seeds to plant. He soon bought a farm and was able to rent other farms. George was always helping other people or giving them treats. He always kept a special stash of treats for company, anyone that stopped by the farm or anyone that may help him. George also loved to keep working. He was very particular about keeping his farming equipment greased and clean, especially his pickups.
George also liked pickup pulls which he participated in with a 1979 Chevy pickup. He really enjoyed tractor pulls and several times joined a friend to go to Louisville, Ky. to the farm machinery show and help the friend pull his John Deere tractor.
In 1984, he and his wife Marilyn dissolved their marriage. Being single and always ready to help someone, he was able to help a widow in the Mallard area whom he had known since school days. In August of 1986, George and Barbara (Hersom) Woodford were married.
They lived west of Mallard for 17 years and then decided to buy a home and move to West Bend. George and Barb were able to spend their winters in Arizona for several years.
The fall of 2021, George decided it was time to retire after farming for 59 years. He farmed by himself with a hired man to help when needed, but found it was time to maybe retire when it got hard to find help. He was a bit lost after he sold all of his farming equipment, except a four-wheeler and a tractor with a loader that he kept on the land. He did spend time at the farm gardening and was noted for his sweet corn, always giving away most of the garden produce and the sweet corn.
George passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Preceding him in death were his parents: Arnold and Edna Zech; siblings: Bill Zech, Janet (Leonard) Whitfield and Donna (Terry) Hull.
He is survived by his wife: Barbara; daughter: Shelley (Terry) Bilyeu of Lost Island; grandchildren: Jennifer (Brian) Ernst of Algona and Justin Ulrich of Clear Lake; great grandchildren: Shaelyn Ulrich, Avenlee Ulrich, Peyton Ernst and Jace Ernst; step children: Nathan (Angie) Woodford of Storm Lake, Kevin Woodford of Spencer and Nadene Woodford of Norwalk; six step-grandchildren: 14 step-great-grandchildren: brother Robert (Kathy) Zech of Sun City, Ariz.; half-sister: Kim Zech of Texas as well as many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to West Bend - Mallard FFA or West Bend - Mallard Achievement Foundation in George’s honor.