Celebration of Life for Jim Zach
Honoring a Legacy of Unconditional Love, HUGE Muscles, Contagious Laughter & Deep Kindness
Service & Celebration Details
The Celebration of Life for Jim will be held Friday from 3:00–5:30 PM at Airlake Airport. Both the service and the reception will take place in the airport’s hangar and event space.
Airlake Airport is a meaningful and fitting setting to honor Jim. Aviation was one of his great loves, and gathering in an active airport, surrounded by aircraft, jet fuel, open space, and the spirit of flight, reflects the curiosity, freedom, and joy that defined his life. The hangar provides a warm, welcoming environment where family and friends can come together to remember, reflect, and celebrate.
The service will include shared memories, reflections, and moments to honor Jim’s life and legacy. A reception will follow immediately afterward in the same space, offering time for conversation, connection, and continued remembrance.
Guests are encouraged to dress casually and comfortably, just as Jim would have wanted.
Please RSVP below to help us plan accordingly.
Airlake Airport is a meaningful and fitting setting to honor Jim. Aviation was one of his great loves, and gathering in an active airport, surrounded by aircraft, jet fuel, open space, and the spirit of flight, reflects the curiosity, freedom, and joy that defined his life. The hangar provides a warm, welcoming environment where family and friends can come together to remember, reflect, and celebrate.
The service will include shared memories, reflections, and moments to honor Jim’s life and legacy. A reception will follow immediately afterward in the same space, offering time for conversation, connection, and continued remembrance.
Guests are encouraged to dress casually and comfortably, just as Jim would have wanted.
Please RSVP below to help us plan accordingly.
Location
Date & Time
Friday, February 20th
3 – 5:30 pm
3 – 5:30 pm
AIRLAKE AIRPORT
22301 Earhart Ln, Lakeville, MN 55044
22301 Earhart Ln, Lakeville, MN 55044
About Jim: A Life Well Loved
James Harold “Big Jim” Zach, 69, passed away on December 25, 2025, after a courageous and heartbreaking battle with dementia.
Jim was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over the course of more than 40 years, he built a distinguished career as a world-class airline mechanic, known for his precision, work ethic, and pride in doing things the right way. His hands fixed more than aircraft; they fixed what was broken around the house, helped neighbors in need, and quietly carried the weight of responsibility for the people he loved.
Jim was a devoted husband to Karen Johnson Zach and a deeply proud father to Jeremy (44), Chris (42), and Josh (40). He found his greatest joy in being “Big Jim” to his grandchildren: Jonah, Zoey, Brady, Greyson, Harlow, and Aria, who knew him as strong, steady, goofy, and always present. His love for family ran deep and real.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Patricia Bittle and Joseph Zach, and by his brother Terry Zach. He is survived by his siblings Joey Zach and Dee Dyke, along with countless friends, coworkers, and extended family who were better for knowing him.
Jim was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over the course of more than 40 years, he built a distinguished career as a world-class airline mechanic, known for his precision, work ethic, and pride in doing things the right way. His hands fixed more than aircraft; they fixed what was broken around the house, helped neighbors in need, and quietly carried the weight of responsibility for the people he loved.
Jim was a devoted husband to Karen Johnson Zach and a deeply proud father to Jeremy (44), Chris (42), and Josh (40). He found his greatest joy in being “Big Jim” to his grandchildren: Jonah, Zoey, Brady, Greyson, Harlow, and Aria, who knew him as strong, steady, goofy, and always present. His love for family ran deep and real.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Patricia Bittle and Joseph Zach, and by his brother Terry Zach. He is survived by his siblings Joey Zach and Dee Dyke, along with countless friends, coworkers, and extended family who were better for knowing him.
Jim was funny, generous, and grounded in faith. He loved Jesus, weightlifting, animals, and spending time with the people who mattered most. He had a lifelong affection for simple pleasures: potato chips, sweets, mac and cheese, hamburger patties, and Coke and never pretended to be anyone other than who he was. He laughed easily, especially at himself, and taught those around him to do the same.
More than anything, Jim taught by example. He showed others how to work hard, how to be resilient, how to stay humble, and how to love without condition. He was willing to admit failure, learn, and keep moving forward an enduring lesson for his children and grandchildren.
Though dementia stole much from him, it never took his dignity, his impact, or the legacy he leaves behind. Big Jim will be remembered as a man of strength and faith, a fixer, a helper, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a steady presence whose life made others better.
His absence is deeply felt, but his influence lives on, in the values he instilled, the laughter he shared, and the love he gave freely.
In Loving Memory
Honor Big Jim’s Heart for Animals
Jim had a lifelong love for animals and believed deeply in caring for those who could not care for themselves. In honor of his generous spirit and compassionate heart, the family invites you to consider making a memorial donation to Humble Hounds, an organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and advocating for animals in need.
Your gift is a meaningful way to celebrate Jim’s life, reflect his values, and continue the kindness he showed so freely to others, both human and animal.