Funeral services for Harry R. Zacher, age 82, longtime Elgin businessman, will be held at 10:30am MST, Saturday, November 24, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Elgin. Pastor Jerry Lee will officiate with burial in Zion Lutheran Cemetery at Elgin.
A family service will be held at 7:00pm on Friday evening at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin.

HARRY RAYMOND ZACHER was born October 7, 1925 on a farm northeast of Elgin, ND to Edward and Mathilda (Zeller) Zacher. In the spring of 1926, the Zacher family moved to a farm south of Heil. Harry attended Cowan school and graduated from Elgin High School in 1943. He farmed with his parents until his marriage to Esther Emelia Wegner on October 13, 1946. Harry and Esther lived for a brief time in Missoula, MT where he worked in a lumber yard. They returned to the Zacher farm in the spring of 1946, where they began farming and ranching together. Three children, Harry Jr., Clayton, and Susie where born to this union.


In 1950, the Zacher's moved into Elgin and purchased Herb's Bar, which later became Harry's Bar. Over the next 52 years, they owned and operated several businesses on Main Street in Elgin, including the Army-Navy Surplus Store, Zacher's Café, and Zacher's New and Used. During that time, Harry also became a Licensed Real Estate Broker and a Nodak Insurance Agent. At age 75, he helped establish a new real estate agency in Bismarck.


Harry was very active in his church and community. He was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church where he served on the Church Council and taught Sunday School. He was a charter member of Elgin Lions Club and was very active on the local, national and international level. He belonged to the Elgin Fire Department and was President of the ND Fireman's Association. He served on the City Council, was a member of the Commercial Club, Celebration Committee, state and local Economic Development. He was Director of the ND Water Users Association, ND Soil Conservation Committee, served on the Selective Service Board and was active in the state and local Republican Party. During WWII he served on the Civil Air Patrol. Harry was a very giving man. One example of his generosity was the fact that he reached a milestone of donating 25 gallons of blood. His last donation was only three weeks ago.


Above all, Harry's family was most important to him. He loved spending time with his grandkids, and in recent years, his great-grandkids became his pride and joy.


Harry passed away on Tuesday, November 20, at the Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin with his devoted son by his side.


Harry is survived by a son, Clayton (Cyndy) Zacher, rural Elgin; daughter, Susie (Tom) Striegel, Rapid City, SD; six grandchildren, Michael (Nicole) Zacher, Sioux Falls, SD, Tristan (Michael) Rosson, Rapid City, SD, Andrea (David) Weikum, Bismarck, ND, T.J. Striegel and friend Kate, Rapid City, SD, Nicole (Jerry) Smith, Omaha, NE and Erick Zacher, Grand Forks, ND; six great grandchildren, Dawson, Kyle, Connor, Lacy, Tyreese, Emelia, and a seventh one due in January, 2008; one brother, Reuben Zacher, Elgin, ND; two sisters, Luella Heber, Bismarck, ND; Betty Werre, Wilton, ND; numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Esther on June 5, 2007; a son, Harry James "Butch" in April 1966; and one sister in infancy.


In lieu of flowers, a Memorial in Harry's honor has been established to the Zion Evangelical Lutheran church in Elgin, ND.