Marshall Zak Horn

Obituary for Marshall Zak Horn Marshall Zak Horn, age 92, died at his home, Saturday, April 25, 2015, in Rockford, Illinois. He was born October 2, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois, and later moved to Woodstock, Illinois. In 1941, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving through World War II. He served on the U.S.S. Wyoming, the U.S.S. Constellation, the U.S.S. Keokuk, and the U.S.S. Toledo. He spent most of his enlistment serving on the mine and net layer U.S.S. Keokuk. He reached the rank of Boatswain’s Mate Second Class. His ship, the U.S.S. Keokuk, earned 6 battle stars, and he took part in the following battles: Casablanca (Dec. ’42), Sicily (July ’43), Saipan (June ’44), Palaui Island (Sept. ’44), Iwo Jima (Feb. ’45), and Okinawa (March ’45). After his discharge from the Navy in March 1947, he worked as a store manager for Ben Franklin in Rockford Illinois. He also worked as a clerk for the U.S. Post Office for a short time after his marriage to Barbara Schroeppel. He worked most of his life in auto parts, starting out Schacht-Tuck Company. The name of the store later changed to Sieg Rockford Company, where he worked as the warehouse manager. Sieg was bought out by Big A Auto Parts, where he continued to work until they closed their doors in 2002. Marshall was a resident of Rockford from 1948 until his death. He married Barbara Ann Schroeppel, who he met when they worked together at Ben Franklin, on July 28, 1951. They had one daughter, Marianne (Bill) Higginbotham. Marshall was an Eagle Scout. He enjoyed Broadway musicals and Spanish guitar, and always had room for ice cream – even on the coldest of days. His biggest love was travelling. He enjoyed travelling out West, and would have liked to have lived in the days of the Old West and the cowboys. He was a modern-day Jim Bridger, always ready to tell another tall tale. He also enjoyed snowmobiling in the Teton Mountains, Yellowstone National Park, and Banff in the Canadian Rockies. He travelled extensively in his lifetime, to Mexico, South America, Europe, Canada, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, and China. The one place he always wanted to visit but never reached was Turkey. He always took his family with him to share in his travels. He was welcomed as one of their own into the family of W.E. (Gene) Maxwell, of Woodstock, Illinois, who was always like a brother; as well as into the families of Delmar E. Wilcox and J.V. (Vic) Boeker who were childhood friends for life. More than one family lost a father the day Marshall died. He was also very close to his Keokuk shipmates, and enjoyed going to yearly reunions and reminiscing about their years together during the war. He lived a full and enjoyable life with no regrets. He was proud of his family and of his years of military service to his country during World War II. He is predeceased by his parents, as well as his “best buddies” W.E. Maxwell, Delmar Wilcox, and J.V. Boeker. Survivors include his wife Barbara (Rockford, Illinois), daughter Marianne (Bill) Higginbotham of Long Beach, Mississippi, and step-granddaughter Courtney Higginbotham (Savannah Georgia). Funeral arrangements were made with Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Homes in Gulfport. Funeral Service will be held on Friday, May 8, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Homes, 1726-15th Street, Gulfport. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00. Burial with full military honors will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery, 400 Veterans Ave., Biloxi, Mississippi at 12:30 p.m. There will also be a memorial service in Rockford, Illinois at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 920-3rd Ave., Rockford, Illinois, on Saturday, May 23 at 2:00. Thanks to VNA Hospice especially Samantha and Shelly, and also to Ruth and Bonnie. Thank you also for all the prayers from family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to VNA Hospice, 4223 E. State Street, Rockford, Illinois, 61108, or to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 920-3rd Ave., Rockford Illinois, 61104.