August Harry Zacha

August “Augie” Zacha, 72, of St. Joseph, passed away Sunday, March 30, 2008 at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Eternal will be 11:30 A.M. Thursday at Saron Lutheran Church, 510 Main St., St. Joseph with Rev. Joan Oleson officiating. Burial will follow at Lincoln Township Cemetery in Stevensville with military rites conducted by Coloma American Legion Post 362, VFW Post 1137 & VFW Post 6803. Friends may call from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Saron Lutheran Church or Michigan Heart Association. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Zacha was born July 12, 1935 in Benton Harbor to August G. & Ruth (Kuhl) Zacha. He graduated from Stevensville High School in 1953 and joined the United States Army, serving during The Korean War. On August 23, 1958, Augie married the former Joyce Streick in St. Joseph at Saron Lutheran Church. He was employed for several years at Clark Equipment and then Avion Coach, both of Benton Harbor, before taking a job with Gast Manufacturing in Bridgman, from where he retired in 1997 after 33 years of employment. Augie was a member of Saron Lutheran Church, Bridgman American Legion Post #331 where he was past vice-commander, DAV Chapter, VFW Post #1137, Benton Harbor Moose Lodge & FOP Lodge #96, and a volunteer cart driver at Lakeland Health Park. He enjoyed dancing, fishing, hunting, golfing, visiting the local casinos, and just being with people, especially his grandsons Tyler & Cody. Augie is survived by his wife Joyce, two daughters-Brenda (Chad) Carlisle of St. Joseph, Deborah Zacha of San Antonio, TX; two grandsons-Tyler & Cody Carlisle; two brothers-Don (Linda) Zacha of Louisville, KY, David (Linda) Zacha of Arlington, TX; & two sisters-Diana Zacha of Louisville, KY & Eileen Nitz of Folson, CA.