Helen F. Zach

Helen F. Zach, 90, Rosholt, SD, passed away Friday, January 1, 2016, at the Northeast Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rosholt.

Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, January 5, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Rosholt with Father Jerome Ranek and Father Stanley Wieser officiating. Music will be provided by organist Lana Sand and vocalists Amy Zach and Mindy Foltz.

Burial will be in the St. Nicholas Cemetery, rural Rosholt. Pallbearers will be Helen's grandsons, Charles, Douglas and Kevin Commerford, Jason Schumer, Adam and Joshua Zach, Tim and Thomas Zach, Joseph Devorak, Joseph Menzia, Justin, Jacob and Paul Zach, and Daniel, Mitchell and Max Weidner.

Visitation will be Monday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Eggers Funeral Home in Rosholt. There will be a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at the church. Visitation will continue Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church.

Helen Frieda was born April 11, 1925, to August and Anna (Brockhaus) Wieser in White Rock Township, Roberts County, SD. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Nicholas Catholic Church. She attended rural school in White Rock Township and later the St. Francis Academy in Hankinson, ND.


On November 27, 1947, Helen married Theodore Zach at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Rosholt. Their first home was in Rosholt, and in the spring of 1952 moved to their farm home six miles west and five miles south of Rosholt. Ted and Helen farmed until retiring in 1991. Ted died February 19, 2007. In 2008, Helen made her home in the Rosholt Care Center.

Helen was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and was active in the Altar Society, Rosary Makers, taught CCD and played organ. She was also an active member of the Northeast Roberts County Right to Life chapter. This involvement included writing to her congressmen and traveling to Washington D.C. for the March for Life.


Helen's hobbies included playing cards, sewing and reading. She also enjoyed sharing Sunday dinners with family and friends. Helen's love of music and singing was a gift to the family. She made each of her children a book of family photos as a way to help her children know their many extended family members. Family and children were important to Helen. She always welcomed visits from her grandchildren, nieces and nephews and their children and was interested to hear news of them. Helen's life of prayer was an example for and an influence on her family.

Survivors include eight children, Nancy Zach of Rosholt, Joyce (David) Commerford of Rosemount, MN, Gerard (Meg) Zach of New Effington, Daniel (Bonnie) Zach of Rosholt, Anita (Ken) Devorak of Madison, MN, Lucy (Greg) Menzia of Minneapolis, MN, Linus (Renee) Zach of Rosholt, and JoAnn (Scott) Weidner of Lake Henry, MN; 27 grandchildren, Charles (Megan), Douglas (Abby) and Kevin Commerford, Jason Schumer, Amy Zach, Adam (Shelby) and Joshua (Shannon) Zach, Tim and Thomas Zach, Anna and Joseph Devorak, Angela (Nico), Joseph, and Andrea Menzia, Justin, Juliann, Sarah, Theresa, Jacob, and Paul Zach, and Laura, Allison, Katie, Daniel (Anna), Mitchell, Emily, and Max Weidner; and 11 great-grandchildren, Kaitlin, Madison, Amelia, Thea, Isla, June, Russell, Chloe, Alexander, Isabel and Damian.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ted; and 13 brothers and sisters.