John Zeis

John R. “Papa John” Zeis, age 61 of Burtrum, passed away from complications of bacterial endocarditis resulting in strokes on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 2 at St. John’s the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle with Rev. Michael Bitz officiating. Interment will be held in Lakeview Cemetery in Grey Eagle.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church in Grey Eagle.

John Robert Zeis was born June 3, 1960 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota to Robert and Barbara (Rest) Zeis.  He graduated from Park Center High School in Brooklyn Center. He was united in marriage to Sherry Hagstrom on August 16, 1980 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle. John worked construction as a laborer and Local 49er for over 30 years, retiring in 2017.

He was a member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle, IUOE Local 49, and the Laborers’ Union. John was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially traveling to Lake Nora in Canada where he would fish lake trout, northern, and walleye. He liked deer and pheasant hunting and enjoyed cutting wood; his wood piles were immaculate.  John loved spending family time camping at Molly Lake. He was proud of his children and grandchildren, his legacy.  John will be remembered as a person who was willing to lend a helping hand to anyone.

Survivors include his loving wife of 41 years, Sherry Zeis of Burtrum; children, Rachel Klinnert of Sauk Centre, Jacob (Kelsey) Zeis of Burtrum, and Jessica (Clint) DeZeeuw of Sauk Centre; grandchildren, Devin Klinnert, Macie Klinnert, Sawyer DeZeeuw, Sophie Zeis, Denver Zeis, Isla DeZeeuw, Ian Klinnert, Maverick Zeis, and Etta DeZeeuw; mothers, Judy Zeis of Burtrum and Barb (Ed) Rest of California City, California; brothers and sisters, Glenn Richard (Nancy) Zeis of Bloomington, Terry (Mike) Beauchane of Minneapolis, Mary (Greg) Irvine of Brookston, and Julie (Glen) Meyer of Freeport; and many loving relatives and friends.

John was preceded in death by his father, Robert Zeis on February 17, 2016; father and mother-in-law, Leonard and Louise Hagstrom.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.