John Zavgren

Funeral Services were held 3:00 P.M., Saturday, August 31, 1996 at the Phillips United Methodist Church. Interment was held in the Phillips Cemetery in Phillips, Nebraska.

OBITUARY: John Zavgren

John Richard Zavgren, the son of Karl and Katie (Henrich) Zavgren, was born at Omaha, Nebraska, on January 16, 1917, and died at his home near Phillips, Nebraska, on August 29, 1996, at the age of 79 years, 7 months, and 13 days.

As a small child the family moved to Aurora where he attended school and graduated from Aurora High School. After graduation he worked as a welder and taught welding at the University of Omaha.

He served his country during World War 2 in the U.S. Army, from May 25, 1942, until his discharge on November 29, 1945. He served in the European Theater, in the 333rd Engineer Corps, and participated in “D” day. Following his discharge he returned to Omaha.

On July 26, 1943, he was united in marriage to Virginia Peterson at Omaha.

In 1946, they moved to California, where he operated a radiator repair shop in Glendale, and ran a hotel in Merced. In 1961, they moved to Phillips, where he began farming.

John was a member of the Phillips United Methodist Church, belonged to the Phillips Keystone Masonic Lodge #62, and had received his 50 year pin. He was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star Phillips Chapter #204.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one grandchild.

Those who remain to cherish his memory are his wife Virginia of Phillips; one son John Jr., of Belmont, Massachusetts; 2 daughters, Catherine Sukraw of Maxwell, and Christine Zavgren of Potsdam, New York; and 8 grandchildren.