Joseph Zilkowski, 89, Dickinson, died Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Joe’s Celebration of Life Service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Rev. James Hessler officiating. Inurnment will take place at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Military honors will be provided by the Belfield American Legion, William C. Blair Post 144.
Joseph “Joe” Zilkowski was born on April 19, 1928 at Snow, North Dakota to Michael Zilkowski and Olga (Shypkowski) Zilkowski. In 1935, the family moved to Belfield where Joe attended grade school and high school. He graduated from high school in 1947. After graduation. He worked for Adam Roth at South Side Mercantile as a clerk. In 1950, Joe enlisted in the United States Air Force and received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. After basic training, Joe attended Clerk Typist Training at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo. Upon Completion, Joe was stationed at Kindley Air Force Base in Bermuda.
Joe was honorably discharged in 1953 and returned to Belfield where he obtained employment at Franklin’s Fairway Foods until 1957 at which time he obtained employment at the First National Bank of Glendive, Mont. as a bookkeeper. A year and half later, Joe moved back to Belfield to work at the First National bank for the next 33 years and in 1991 retired as President of the Bank and the Holding Company.
On May 14, 1977, Joe married Dorothy E. Basaraba and together they built their first new home in South Heart. In 1991, Joe obtained employment with Wal Mart as a Sales Associate in Dickinson and he continued to work at Wal Mart until September 23, 2016.
Joe is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dorothy; his five nephews; Darryl (Shirley), Dennis, Dale (Janet), Delwynn “Del” and Douglas (Keeley) Dutke; foster daughter, Peggy J. Vammer; sister-in-law, Ann Basaraba; and 20 great and great-great-nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Rose Margaret Theis and Mildred Dutke; brothers-in-law, Raymond Theis and Walter Dutke.
