Baby Zanowiak

It has been difficult for me to visit this site and even more so to contribute anything new, despite my original intent. I have actually only watched the video a single time since putting it on this blog and it was extremely difficult. Today, however, I had a day that I would have normally called dad about before I even left the parking lot, but since I couldn't, sharing the eperience with all of you is the next best thing.

I attended a birthing class with Shelly today. It was a very challenging experience for me, not just for all of the obvious reasons that you would associate with a soon-to-be father, but at every step I drew parallels with what dad must have been thinking when he and mom were where I am now. He always said that the days we were born, were among his greatest days. I suppose I won't be able to speculate for another couple weeks. I can't ask him if the concerns and hopes that I have for my wife and son were among those that he had for mom and me, but from what I knew about dad, they were... to be healthy; to be honest and moral; to appreciate education; and to above all value family.

For anyone who may not have known, with Zac's blessing, Shelly and I made an easy decision to make the baby's middle name Daniel after his grandfather and his uncle Zac.

Two Stories from Zac and Zeb

Fish in the Mud Hole

When Zeb was about 13 years old, he and his friend decided that they could convert the back yard creek bed into a pond. He worked or days digging out the creek bed and building a dam. As luck would have it, right as he finished, a strong rain cam through and filled it up. The creek was in the back yard and was the water drainage for the whole neighborhood, so it just filled up with brown muddy water. But Zeb thought it would still be a good idea, so he and his friends went to a nearby pond and caught about 50 small perch and were bringing them back with the intention of “stocking” this pond. Dan saw what they were up to and like always recognized that his son could use some constructive advice. But Zeb, if you don’t him, is a bit head strong. So he insisted on proceeding with the misguided attempt to stock his new pond. Dan noticed that the fish were all gasping on the surface of the water for air and within a couple weeks the smell of rotten, floating fish was almost unbearable. Dan never told him “I told you so” at that time, but years later when Zeb was unwilling to accept the advice that he was attempting to provide he started a saying that was a single line that always reminded his sons to stop and reconsider what they are doing… “Fine then… don’t listen to me; go throw those fish in that mud hole”.

Gypsies in the Attic

Donna has always had a habit of confusing dreams with reality. On one occasion, she awoke around midnight and thought she heard something in the attic, “Dan, someone’s in the attic”. Of course Dan knew better than to think that someone would have any interest in getting in the attic when all of the valuables and people are downstairs. However, knowing that Donna was clearly shaken up, he didn’t even hesitate. He got out of bed, got a flashlight and went into the living room and told Zac, “Get you shoes on, your mother thinks there’s someone scootin’ around in the attic”. While Dan was in the attic, Donna, still worried, decided that she needed the additional protection of the gun. Of course, nothing was in the attic and Dan came back down to find Donna and Zeb loading the family gun. The family always joked from that day forward that Donna was going to start unloading the gun through attic at Zac and Dan, thinking of course that she was protecting the household from a family of gypsies that had taken residence in the Zanowiak attic.

Dan Zanowiak Memorial Guestbook

If you have any stories or memories you would like to share with us or even if you would like to just let us know you were thinking of Dan, please do contribute. Follow this link Sign Guest Book to sign the guest book.

Update: It has been suggested that you should type the message into a Word Processor (MS Word, Works, Word Perfect, Textpad) and copy/paste the message into the comment box on the web page. Also, you do not have to sign up for any web site membership. Select "Other" when you are prompted for a Google username or "Anonymous" and you will be able to simply type your name.

Dan Zanowiak, 59, of Edmond, Oklahoma passed from this life on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. Dan was born on April 23, 1948 in Lubbock, TX to Paul Peter and Mary Jo Zanowiak. He attended high school in Pasadena, TX and earned his bachelors degree in mathematics in 1973 from the University of Texas at Arlington. On June 10th, 1970 he married his best friend and the love of his life, Donna Jorgenson, in Durant, Oklahoma. Their marriage was blessed with the birth of two wonderful sons, Zac and Zeb. The family moved to Edmond, Oklahoma in 1981 where he continued teaching with the Edmond public schools touching thousands of lives throughout his high school teaching career. “Mr. Z” retired from teaching in 2004 and enjoyed three wonderful years of retirement. His most significant legacy was the level of devotion he had towards his family and love for his friends, all who will miss him dearly. He will live on through his family and friends and through the legacy of students he taught. Dan is preceded in death by his father, Paul Peter Zanowiak and brother, Paul Peter Zanowiak II. Dan is survived by his wife, Donna; his mother, Mary Jo of Houston, TX; his two sons: Zac of Edmond, Zeb and wife Shelly of Houston, TX; his brother Larry and wife Janey of Mineral Wells, TX; his mother-in-law Lola Jorgenson of Edmond; and his three sisters-in-law of Edmond: Linda Horton, Karen Giddy and husband Don, and Lorna Williams and husband David. He is also survived by nieces and nephews: Scott Horton of Fort Worth, TX; Kristy Brummitt of Edmond; Brad Horton of Edmond; Julie Koiner of Edmond; Szalan Boadman of Houston, TX; Collyn Brown of Dallas, TX; Jonathan Zanowiak of Amarillo, TX; Kendall Zanowiak of Austin, TX; Terranne Williams of Edmond; Kyle Williams of Edmond; and MacKenzie Williams of Edmond; and 17 great nieces and nephews. Dan was anxiously awaiting the birth of his first grandson later this year. Visitation will be held Saturday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Baggerley Funeral home in Edmond. A memorial service is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Sunday also at Baggerley Funeral.