Cecil Zahren

A memorial service for Cecil Zahren, age 92, of Lake Park, will be held Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 10:30 AM at the United Methodist Church in Lake Park. Visitation will be on Friday, May 27th from 6:00-8:00pm at the United Methodist Church in Lake Park. There will be a private family burial at Silver Lake Cemetery prior to the service. Cecil W. Zahren, the son of Charlotte (Lenz) and Gilbert Zahren, was born March 7, 1924, in Westport Township in Dickinson County Iowa. He attended and graduated from the Lake Park High School in 1943. Cecil, at the age of 18, enlisted in the United States Army. He entered the Army on September 18, 1943, and was assigned to the 116th Infantry Battalion of the 29th Division. He trained to be a medic at Camp Barkley, Texas. He was then sent to Normandy, France, arriving on the beach less than a week after D-Day on June 6, 1944. After receiving various medals which included the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, he was honorably discharged on January 11, 1946. On March 29, 1947, he was united in marriage to Ellen Dieterich in Blue Earth, Minnesota. Four daughters and two sons were born to this union. After farming for twenty-five years, he and Ellen moved to Lake Park. Cecil then began a new career as a Crop Insurance adjuster. Family was a very important part of his life. He was the best husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend you could ask for. Cecil enjoyed family times, gardening, canning, sports, and tapping his toe to Polka music. Cecil passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Hawkeye Care Center in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Left to cherish his memory are daughters: Cecily (Ross) Barnett, Maxine (Craig) Anderson, Kathy (Wes) Malone, Lori (Steve) Eggers and son Scott (Lisa) Zahren, and daughter-in-law Deb Koupal Zahren; 9 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; sister Lois (Don) Vetter, brother Gerald (Jana) Zahren; sisters-in-law Evelyn (Orville) Rusch and Jane (Miles) Untiedt, cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends. Preceding in death were his parents, wife Ellen, son Gilbert Zahren; grandchild Amy Petersen; sister Herma (Glenn) Hensley; niece Connie Paulson; and two nephews; Keith Rusch and Tom Untiedt.