Tim Zahrt

Tim E. Zahrt was a charismatic, kind-hearted man who could easily get along with anyone. Each day he tried to bring his happiness into the lives of those closest to him, his family and many friends. Tim loved to spend his free time at his lodge, but he was the happiest when his family and friends accompanied him there.

With the end of the Second World War, thousands of young American men returned home to settle down and start their families. The baby boom was quickly underway, and Lloyd Zahrt and his wife Marjorie Haverman were among the many expecting parents. On April 15, 1953, they were blessed with the birth of their son Tim in their hometown of Muskegon.

Tim enjoyed the early years of his childhood in the city of Muskegon, where he grew up under the watch of his sister Connie. Connie was ten years his senior, the daughter of his mother's prior marriage. As Connie remembers it, Tim was never very much trouble as a child. He was an all around good kid, but sometimes his innocent fun caused a problem. On one occasion, Connie was sitting at the dinner table when she glanced out the window to see an approaching fire truck. Running outdoors, she found the fire truck parked in the empty lot next door, where a thirty foot pine tree stood engulfed in flames. It seemed that Tim had been playing with matches earlier, although the fire was certainly unintentional. In another instance, Tim received a carpenter's set for Christmas, and he decided to test out his new tools on the table that held the Christmas tree. He proceeded to saw off one of the legs--and the entire table collapsed, sending the tree crashing down on the floor.

When Tim was three years old, his younger brother Craig was born. A family of five, Tim's mother stayed at home to keep the house while his father worked his way up from a milkman to the general sales manager at Butternut Bread Company. Despite the occasional youthful shenanigan, Tim was always a good student, even at a young age. He attended the Churchill School until the third grade, when the Zahrts left Muskegon for Northville Park, located on the north side of Grand Rapids. Here Tim attended East Oakview Elementary until the family moved once more, this time to settle in Rockford. From seventh grade through his high school graduation in 1971, Tim attended the Rockford schools. These were enjoyable years. High school was especially fun, since Tim was active in sports and generally driven. He played football and threw the shot-put, and he would sometimes get together with friends for a pickup game of baseball. Tim was also a good student with strong grades. He didn't really have any academic challenges.

These high school years also provided Tim with many fond memories of his family. During the snowy Michigan winters, the Zahrts would often make the short trip to Pando or Cannonsburg for a day of skiing.

After high school, Tim pursued a higher education at Ferris University where he earned an Associates Degree in food service. To help pay for his schooling, he worked at Texan Restaurants. He continued to work this job after he graduated, but he would eventually become tired of food service. He switched career paths to work for Wheeler Construction. He later took a job with M&S Construction, a company that specializes in curb construction. For over fifteen years he worked there as an estimator. Tim liked the free reign that the job allowed him, and he also got along well with his coworkers. He was always a people's person, a real charmer.

In his free time, Tim loved to be outdoors. He was a dedicated golfer who played frequently and also started many leagues at Braeside Golf Club and Boulder Creek. Usually the league members consisted of his old friends and business associates. It was more of a fun league than a competitve one. Tim was a partner in a hunting lodge near Harrison, Michigan with his friends Kyle Scott and Ron Cole. The lodge was named Camp Juwana and featured several acres as well as a private lake. This was Tim's favorite spot, and he regularly brought his friends and family. He even began the tradition of spending the holidays at Camp Juwana with his immediate family. Tim's love for the outdoors also factored into his automotive choice. He recently purchased an 1800 Honda motorcycle which he loved to ride around the area with his friend Bill Hoogerheide. As far as music, Tim enjoyed classic rock and jazz.

On November 11, 1975, around the time that Tim graduated from college, he married Alyn Haworth, a union that would end eighteen months later. Though Tim never had any children of his own, he always loved and enjoyed his brother Craig's children. He was a big-hearted uncle, a giant teddy bear with a marshmallow inside. Though Tim was a private person, he was always available when someone needed him. He would give you advice and then allow you to make your own decision. He was loved by everyone, and he never had any enemies.

A good man with a charismatic spirit, Tim will be frequently remembered by the many people whose lives he touched.

Tim died unexpectedly on Sunday, January 23, 2005. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Zahrt and Marjorie Zahrt. Tim is survived by his brother, Craig (Tammy) Zahrt and children, Brandon, Courtney, Austin, and Dillon; and sister, Connie (Burt) Wanerus and their children, Scott (Hidy) George and Lori (Mark) Laramore. Also surviving are several other great nephews and many special friends. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3 P.M. on Thursday, January 27, 2005 at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home- Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. N.W. Friends and relatives may meet his family at the funeral home on Wednesday from 2-4 P.M. and 7-9 P.M. Please visit Tim's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory, sign the guestbook, or make a memorial contribution to American Cancer Society or Crystal Valley Care Fund.