Marcia Louise (Ward) Zachar, 04 Dec 1944 - 08 Jun 2021

ZACHER, WARD, ALLEN, STEPANEK, OLLINGER, KASS, UGARTE, LAMERE, RICKERTSEN, DOGOTCH, GADE, TRCKA

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 6/17/2021 at 12:39:30

Marcia Louise Zachar, 76, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, June 8, 2021, surrounded by her loving family. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church by the Rev. John Flaherty. Burial: St. John Cemetery.

A vigil service will be held at Teahen Funeral Home on Friday at 3 p.m. Those not attending the vigil service may visit with the family from 3:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Teahen Funeral Home.

Marcia was born in Cedar Rapids at Mercy Hospital on Dec. 4, 1944, to Paul and Marjorie (Allen) Ward. She grew up in Boone, Iowa, where she attended Sacred Heart elementary school and graduated from Boone High School in 1962. She attended the University of Iowa for two years and then decided that the medical profession was calling her. Marcia attended X-ray technologist training at Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids and graduated in 1966 to begin work at Mercy.

She met husband-to-be, Joe Zachar Jr., on a blind date in late 1965. It was not love at first sight, but he persisted and she caved. By February 1966 they were engaged and on Aug. 20, 1966, they were married at Sacred Heart Church in Boone, Iowa, by the groom's uncle, Msgr. Albert Zachar. Marcia and Joe moved to Marengo, Iowa, in 1967 and Marcia began working at the Marengo Memorial Hospital. They moved to Marion in 1970 where she briefly worked at St. Luke's Hospital until she once again began her career at Mercy Hospital. Marcia advanced her training by studying to become a nuclear medicine technologist. Marcia retired from Mercy in 2001 after a combined 35-plus years. She worked at Randy's Carpets in Cedar Rapids for an additional 10 years.

Marcia was a member of All Saints Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. She loved Mass and was looking forward to once again attending in person. She was a member of Mother Cabrini Circle, a member of the Faith Formation Committee and volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store for many years. She had a great circle of friends, including former Mercy Hospital co-workers, bridge players, church groups and fellow volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul. She always was remembered by her patients for her kindness and compassion. Her outgoing personality and Irish spunk was never more evident than in the love she had for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Marcia came from a large, mostly Irish family. There always was a reason to get together, such as a cloudy day, a sunny day, night, birthday, graduation, wedding — any excuse would do. As a family they made trips (four years apart) to Europe. The first to Germany and Belgium, the second included Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy, the third to Ireland and the last to the Czech Republic.

Preceding her on the way to heaven were her parents, Marge (Allen) and Paul Ward; infant brother, Tommy; mother- and father-in-law, Edith (Stepanek) and Joseph W. Zachar Sr.; brother-in-law, Thomas Zachar; niece, Ann (Trcka) Ollinger; plus a hundred or more aunts, uncles and cousins.

Marcia is survived by her husband, Joe Jr.; sons, Joe III, Paul (Yves) and Jim (Linda); daughter, Jean; grandsons, Devin Kass of Surprise, Ariz., Brady Kass of North Liberty, Jonathon Ugarte of Surprise, Ariz., Zach Lamere of Cedar Rapids and Anthony and Timothy Zachar of Cedar Rapids; granddaughters, Cassidy and Madisyn Zachar of Iowa City; great-grandsons, Leovanni and Leland Lamere of Cedar Rapids; great-granddaughter, Parker Kass of North Liberty; siblings, Linda Rickertsen of Boynton Beach, Fla., Debra Dogotch (Don) of Anaheim Hills, Calif., Randy Ward (Kathy) of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Daniel Ward (Carol) of Beaumont, Calif., and Patty Gade (Ron) of Rancho Mirage, Calif.; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Joanne Zachar and James Trcka and family friend Sylvia Pecinovsky of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, Judy Zachar,of Mesa, Ariz.; as well as her many nieces and nephews throughout the United States.

Instead of flowers, donations may be directed to All Saints Church, 720 29th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403, or St. Vincent de Paul, 928 Seventh St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401. Online condolences can be left at www.teahenfuneralhome.com.

Published in The Gazette on Jun. 10, 2021.