Leo Everett Zadina, 82, was born March 14, 1937, on a farm near Limestone Township in Jewell County, Kan., to Charlie and Elsie (Peroutek) Zadina and died Feb. 16, 2020, in Superior, Neb.
Leo attended school in Mankato and graduated with the Class of 1955. Leo worked for many years at the Superior Coca-Cola Bottling Plant and the City of Superior and finished his career as the emergency management director for Nuckolls, Webster and Thayer counties. He also owned Superior Fire Extinguisher Co. and owned and operated the Superior Dairy Queen for 10 years.
Leo married his first wife, Betty Mellott, on Aug. 12, 1956, and was married to her and loved her until the day he died. The fun-loving couple had four children, Kim, Kurt, Kraig and Kevin.
Leo’s favorite place in the world was Lovewell Lake, where he purchased a trailer in Twin Coves Cabin Area. Trailer No. 24 has been in the family for 50 years. He water skied on Lovewell before it was full of water in 1957 and taught all of the Zadina children and many friends to water ski over the years.
Leo was involved in the Superior Volunteer Fire Department for 46 years and was fire chief for 16 of those years. He was president of the Nebraska Fire Chiefs Association in 1977-78, was awarded the Firemanship Award from the Superior VFD in 1978 and received the Award of Merit from the Knights of AK-SAR-BEN in 1978. Leo enjoyed sauerkraut pizza, grilling out, coffee, boating, water-skiing, freezing ice cream, hunting, a good party and watching his children and grandchildren playing sports
Leo was past president of the Nebraska Fire Chiefs Association, a charter member of the Superior Jaycees, a charter member of the Elks Lodge No. 2197, a past member of the Lions Club, Little League basketball chairman for two years, a member of the Red Caps and president for two years, chairman of the building committee for the Superior Public Safety Building, a member of the Lovewell Lake Association Board and had many more memberships in organizations.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Louie Zadina.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; children, Kim and Bob Emery of Decatur, Texas; Kurt Zadina (Kristen Blehm) of Mitchell, Neb.; Kraig Zadina and Kim Fichera of Tucson, Ariz.; and Kevin and Angie Zadina of Seward, Neb.; a sister, Rose Boland; grandchildren, Brock and Steph Emery of Minden Neb.; Brooklyn and Drew Huffman of Denton, Texas; Bret and Ashley Emery of Spring, Texas; Abigail Zadina of New York City, N. Y.; Rachel and Colby Huernink of Hickman, Neb.; Adam Bruhn of Lincoln, Neb.; Ericka and Ray Ortega of Cincinnati, Ohio; Tricia and Warren Turnbull of Boulder, Colo.; Tyler and Teresa Zadina of Tucson, Ariz.; Keasha Zadina of Houston, Texas; Kourteney Zadina of Lincoln, Neb.; and Kelsie Zadina of Hastings; great-grandchildren, Madilynn, Myla and Malayna Emery of Minden Everett and Eastyn Huffman of Denton, Texas Robby Huffman of Arlington, Texas Harper and Sawyer Emery of Spring, Texas Akcire and Jace Ortega of Cincinnati, Ohio Oliver Turnbull of Boulder, Colo.; and Kieleb and Keith Zadina of Tucson, Ariz.; and sister-in-law, Alma (Louie) Zadina of Mankato, Kan.
Services will be held 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday) Feb. 20, at the United Methodist Church in Superior. Pastor Natalie Faust will be officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation was held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Memorials in lieu of flowers to Superior Volunteer Fire Department and or the Mankato endowment club. Condolences may be sent to the family at wmsfh.com. Williams Funeral Home of Superior was in charge of arrangements.
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