Obituaries, May 2, 2023
Neil Joseph Zachman, Jr.
Neil Joseph Zachman, Jr., 73 passed into eternal life on April 26, 2023, at 8:01 a.m., at The Legacy of Waterford Place with his devoted wife and family by his side after a nearly 12-year battle with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). He was born October 20, 1949, to Neil Zachman Sr and Margaret (Dooher) Zachman, who preceded him in death.
Neil grew up the oldest of eight children. From the very beginning he led a life of serving and caring for others. He was the quintessential big brother to his seven younger siblings, often helping his mother care for them while his father was traveling for work.
In his early years, he was raised in Canada playing ice hockey and participating in Canadian Boy Scouts. His Junior year in high school, the family moved to Cleveland for a short time and then to Chicago where Neil graduated from Arlington Heights High School in 1967.
Neil met the love of his life, Sheryl (Mason), while attending an IUK dance, and they were married August 21, 1971. Neil attended Purdue University receiving his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Neil was a co-op student during his undergrad work and began his 38-year career at Delco/Delphi in 1974. They started their family and Neil remained a devoted husband and father to two girls.
Neil loved photography and was rarely seen without a camera in his hands, accumulating hundreds of thousands of photos from across the years all carefully filed in a meticulous fashion that we all knew was "his way". He also loved painting with watercolors, traveling, camping and hiking. Neil was a quiet, humble family man and spent his time away from work with those he held dear, always giving of his time. In addition to his siblings, he had a special relationship with his "brother from another mother" brother-in-law, Bob Mason. Neil was involved in many activities at St. Patrick Catholic Church, but his greatest gifts were serving his three mission trips to Haiti.
Neil was preceded in death by his parents, Neil and Margaret Zachman; his father and mother-in-law, Robert Sr. and Sarah Mason; brother, Richard Zachman, sister-in-law, Jane Zachman; and nieces, Betsy Mason and Jennifer Zachman.
Surviving are his wife, Sheryl Zachman; daughters, Mandy (Steve) Smith and Jennifer (Doug) Killingbeck; grandchildren, Delainey Smith, Jocelyn Smith, Zach Smith, Hagen Smith, Brynn Killingbeck, Elise Killingbeck and Declan Killingbeck; siblings, Thomas Zachman, Maryann (James) Healy, Margie (Brad) Christopher, John (Debbie) Zachman, Joseph (Debbie) Zachman and Robert (Gina) Zachman; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Susie (Lloyd) Cheek, Jeanne Longfellow, Robert (Sue) Mason and Angie Zachman; and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
The family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the staff who cared for him from the beginning of his stay at the Legacy, especially Judy, Ronnie, Jill, Sam, Denise, Sven and Josh, and Melissa, and Mindy and Maddie from Guardian Angels Hospice for their loving care of Neil and support of our family the past 3 years.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 8, 2023, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1229 N. Washington St., Kokomo, with the Very Rev. Fr. Christopher Shocklee the celebrant, the Very Rev. Fr. Theodore Dudzinski the homilist, and the Very Rev. Fr. Andrew Dudzinski, Rev. Fr. Joshua Bennett, and Rev. Fr. Brian Dudzinski the concelebrants, and Deacon Chuck Springer. Burial will follow in Crown Point Cemetery. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sunday at the church, with the Rosary being recited at 4:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Betsy Mason Memorial scholarship at Bona Vista 1222 S. Plate St. Kokomo, IN 46902 or St. Patrick Catholic Church. Messages of condolences may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Shirley & Stout Funeral Home in Kokomo.