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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
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Thomas Zachar
THOMAS JOSEPH ZACHAR
Cedar Rapids
Thomas Joseph Zachar, 81, of Dubuque, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque. Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Monday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Father Christopher Podhajsky. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home East, 1228 Second St. SE, where a Knights of Columbus rosary begins at 4 p.m.
Tom is survived by his wife, Judith; six children, Peter (Andrea) of Montgomery, Ala., Chris (Michelle) of Phoenix, Ariz., Amy (Rob) Hanus of Gilbert, Ariz., Nancy (Scott) Fett of Peosta, Suzie Irwin of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Michael (Kelly) in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and 12 grandchildren. Tom also is survived by his sister, Joanne (James) Trcka; and brother, Joe (Marcia) Zachar, both of Cedar Rapids.
Thomas was born March 2, 1935, in Cedar Rapids to Joseph Wenceslaus Zachar Sr. and Edith Elizabeth (Stepanek) Zachar. He graduated from St. Wenceslaus High School in 1953 and Loras College in 1957. After college, he was in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960. He married Judith Marie Smith on Nov. 3, 1962.
In 1974, he founded Zachartom Realty Inc. He served as president of the Cedar Rapids Board of Realtors and South Side Civic Club. He was involved with the Cadets of St. George and Catholic Layman's Club and served on the State Association of Realtors in Des Moines.
Tom was past director of Xavier Foundation, past president of All Saints school board and past president of Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Cedar Rapids.
He was a member of Regis Hall of Fame, where he earned the William Thinnes Friend of Catholic Education Award. He was chair of the Regis 100 Club and Xavier Silver Club.
Tom loved to play golf, fish and was a loyal Hawkeye fan. He enjoyed a great card game even when he could not catch a lucky break or "better his hand by even one card." Tom loved hearing and telling jokes, and he knew just how to deliver a punch line to make others smile and laugh.
We take solace in the hope that he can now meet Ole and Lena in person.
Memorials may be made to Xavier High School Foundation, Camp Courageous, Stonehill and St. Vincent de Paul.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.papich-kubafs.com under "obituaries."
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