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| William J. Zemanek |
| December 13, 1917 - February 07, 2010 |
Petaluma, California
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Bill Zemanek passed away peacefully from pneumonia in Petaluma on February 7, 2010. Devoted husband of Martha Zemanek of Petaluma. Loving father of Stephen M. Hardy of Vacaville, Marti Sorentino of Petaluma, Bill Zemanek, Jr. of Richmond, Susan McCormick of Pleasant Hill, and the late Craig Melvin Hardy. Dear father-in-law of Jerri Hardy, Susan Zemanek, and Jim McCormick. The cherished grandfather of Kathleen Stillings, Shannon Hardy, Marc Martinez, Stephen M.C. Hardy, Reina Starke, Craig Miguel Hardy, James McCormick, Jr., and Jeffery W. McCormick. Survived by 12 great-grandchildren. Dear brother of the late Emily Ewing.
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Born William Jan Zemanek to Stephan and Paulina Zemanek on December 13, 1917 in New York. His family had just come to the United States from Czechoslovakia and soon came west and settled in San Francisco. Bill grew up near Monterey Blvd. on Detroit Street where his father and mother had a grocery and butcher shop. He was part of the first graduating class of Balboa High School and went to work for the family business. He learned the trade of being a butcher and would work as a butcher and meat cutter the rest of his life.
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Bill served with honor as an Army infantryman during World War II in the South Pacific. After the war he came home to San Francisco, an eligible bachelor who always loved the great outdoors, snow skiing at Badger Pass in Yosemite, duck hunting and fishing for stripped bass, and eventually taking over his father’s Butcher shop at 39th Ave. and Judah St. Years later with a family started, he went to work for Cala Foods as a meat cutter, manager, and eventually Meat Department Supervisor until he retired.
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He met and married his wife Martha in 1951 and they spent 59 wonderful years together. Bill and Martha moved to Petaluma in 1990 and he enjoyed his retirement fishing in the San Francisco Bay for sturgeon and stripped bass, hunting for duck and deer, bowling with the Elks, being a member and officer of the Moose and Sirs, and spending time with his family who were all close at hand. He loved his 49ers, Giants and Warriors, watching the stock reports on TV, shopping for a bargain, cooking great dinners and pies, and canning the joys of his garden and fruit trees. He was old school, believed in tough love, and lived his life his way. He had strong opinions (his grandson Marc says he should have had a tattoo saying “American Hardass”) but when he smiled at you or laughed with you, you knew you were loved. He will be remembered, celebrated, and missed by all who knew and loved him.
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A Celebration of Bill's Life will be held on Sunday, March 28, 2010 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Elks Lodge #901, 2105 S. McDowell Blvd Ext., Petaluma Ca. 94954. Please call 925-324-1636 for more information. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Petaluma Peoples Service Center, 1500 A Petaluma Blvd. So., Petaluma, CA 94952.
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