John Zauner, Jr. passed away peacefully on November 12, 2016 at Heritage Place under the care of the wonderful staff.
John was born in North Dakota to John Zauner Sr. and Margaret Pole nsky Zauner. John's family moved to Montana during his youth. He graduated from Flathead High School, and then married Mary Ann Schad in 1955.
John worked and owned many independent businesses. He started out working with his brother, David, in the family owned service station in Kalispell. From there, he went into the retail hardware business. He managed the Gambles store in Kalispell and Worland, Wyoming, and then moved up to a Tempo store in Lewiston, Idaho. He then partnered with his younger brother, Fred, to buy and run the Kalispell Coast to Coast store. They expanded the store twice and ended up at a Meridian Road location with the "big" store, a Coast to Coast/Ben Franklin combo. John and Mary Ann then bought and ran the Ben Franklin in Downtown Whitefish. After it burned, they moved back to Kalispell with a Western Auto store. John then joined his son, Darrel, in a hardware store in Eureka, Montana. John loved retail...the customer was #1.
John belonged to many groups and organizations through the years: National Guard, Elks, Masons, Epworth United Methodist Church, American Legion Baseball, Kalispell City Council, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, Kalispell Downtown Organization, Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, Whitefish Winter Carnival, Eureka Senior Citizens, etc. John found great joy in helping others and organizing and participating in town projects.
John loved his family, his businesses, his customers, time at community sporting events, time spent at Ashley Lake puttering, travelling, watching his grandkids grow and become successful and have loved ones of their own, and spoiling his great-grandkids with sweets.
John leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Mary Ann, at Heritage Place; daughter Cheryl and husband John King, son Darrel and wife Shelley Zauner; grandchildren Ashley and Bobby Jones, Shila and Cody Schreiner, Patrick King, All Zauner, Marni Zauner; and great-grandchildren Anna Lynn and DecLand Schreiner. He is, also, survived by brother David and Rosie Zauner, brother Fred and Shirley Zauner, sister-in-law Dixie and Cliff Tye, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Dad wants to wait for Mom to join him, so there is no service planned at this time.