Leo Laverne Zaddack

Leo Laverne Zaddack

Leo Laverne Zaddack passed away May 13, 2011, surrounded by his family in his Lacey home. Leo was born September 29, 1937, in Bellingham to Leo M. Zaddack and Almarene Brasher Zaddack. He was raised by his grandmother, Clara Zaddack, from the age of 11 months to adulthood. Grandma Zaddack shaped his life with many important lessons: respecting your elders, working hard, being honest, and walking (not driving) to church on Sundays. His youthful days were filled with paper routes, fishing, playing tag, baseball, and riding bikes with neighborhood friends.
Leo graduated from Bellingham High School in 1955 and promptly joined the Army. He met his future wife, Shirley Bignold, in September 1955 while she attended Western Washington University. They were married on March 2, 1956, at her childhood home in Elma before being stationed in Darmstadt, Germany for three years. Leo served in the engineering battalion where, as a grandson was fond of saying, "Papa built bridges-then got to blow them up." After his tour in Europe, he finished his Army career in Fort Lewis in 1962. Leo and Shirley then moved to Lacey where he worked nights at Georgia Pacific in the boiler room and attended classes during the day at Centralia Community College. Their son Terry was born in July 1962 followed quickly by twin daughters Cindy and Connie in March of 1964 and finally, Susie, in August 1968. Leo worked nights at Green Hill School for Boys as a counselor for two years and began attending Saint Martin's University in 1969. He earned his BA in 1971 and his master's degree in sociology in 1975, both from Pacific Lutheran University, while working full time as a counselor and admissions department supervisor for the Purdy Women's Correctional Center.
In June of 1974, Leo began his 38-year battle with a massive heart condition. In 1975, he survived an attempted quadruple bypass surgery at Providence Hospital in Seattle by pioneering surgeon Dr. Lester Sauvage. Being given an estimated timeline of two years of quality life with the newly triple bypassed arteries, Leo was forced to retire from working full time and began living each day to the fullest extent. He enjoyed his time fishing, hunting, coaching and watching baseball, fastpitch softball and basketball games. He was an assistant coach at Saint Martin's University for the men's basketball and women's basketball teams between 1976 and 1995, ending with a trip to the NAIA Division I National Championship Tournament in Tennessee with the Lady Saints. Leo loved to talk and would often swap stories and become fast friends with people he met everywhere. He enjoyed his morning coffee "with the guys" and being the senior member of the "Monday Night Football Club." Leo had thousands of "dumb blond jokes" that he delighted in sharing regularly with his daughters.
Leo continued to battle his deteriorating heart conditions, while surviving a mastectomy and breast cancer treatments. He was dubbed with many catch phrases by friends and family such as, "Timex-takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'." He was a tough and relentless competitor who fought to live each day under his terms and pushed his numerous doctors and nurses to help come up with the next solution or procedure. He never complained and he never gave up.
Surviving, besides his loving wife Shirley of 55 years, are his only son Terrance Zaddack and his wife Lidia of Battleground; daughter Cynthia Murray and her husband John of Chehalis; daughter Constance Napiontek and her husband Rick of Montesano; and his youngest daughter Susan Wells and her husband Jeff of Olympia. Leo was especially proud and liked to brag about his six grandchildren: Jenna Amsbury and her husband Jason, Missy Gregorius, Jordan Zaddack, Jason Wells, Jeremy Wells and Jared Zaddack. He is also survived by his long-time buddies Ken Sigler and Dr. Jerry Dolgash, his Springer Spaniel "Shooter," and the family that quickly became his, the Anderson's and Bignold's. Preceding him in death were his parents, Grandma Zaddack, and his wife's parents Cecil and Bertha Bignold who he referred to as "Mom and Pop."
A Celebration of Life will be held at Saint Martin's University Worthington Conference Center on Sunday, May 29 between 2:00-5:00 p.m. If you would like to support Leo's teams, donations may be made to: Saint Martin's University Basketball In Memory of Leo Zaddack and sent to The Office of Institutional Advancement, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503.