Albert George Zick

Albert George Zick, 96, passed away peacefully in his rural North Freedom home on Sunday, November 24, 2019, with all his family present.

Albert was born July 10, 1923 in the village of Denzer in the township of Honey Creek, Sauk County, Wisconsin. His parents were George Herman and Lydia Amanda (Klipstein) Zick, the proprietors of the Denzer General Store. When his mother died two days after his birth, due to complications of childbirth, his paternal grandmother, Sophia Zick, took the responsibility of caring for and raising Albert until her death when he was 11 years old. Soon after, Alberts cousin Evelyn and her husband Orrin Sprecher, and their daughters, Nyla and Neva, took him to be part of their family.

June 9, 1951 Albert married Allegra Shale of rural North Freedom, whom he met roller skating in Reedsburg while she was attending Teachers College. They lived their first five years of marriage in the Denzer area while Allegra taught at BlackHawk and Witwen. They moved to the Shale farm soon after the birth of their first child, Aaron, in 1956, and when Albert became employed by John Barnhart in his grocery store in Baraboo. Their daughter, Amy, was born to this loving, caring family in 1958. In 1961 Albert took employment in Reedsburg at the Super Value Store, where he remained for the next 29 years, under several different managements and store names.

His greatest pleasure was in his family, Amy and Aaron have fond memories of playing cards and board games, playing softball, roller skating, and going to sporting events and auctions. All during the childrens growing up years, the family traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Two years after their retirements in 1990, he and Allegra opened an antique shop in the barn on the Shale farm, which they operated for 20 years in the spring to fall months, allowing them to enjoy their winters traveling. Their travels took them five times to Europe, three to Germany where Albert had opportunities to use his fluent German. He especially like to ride Amtrak, and they, with Amy and her husband Paul, took several trips to the West Coast to visit Aaron and his wife Lizzie. To celebrate anniversaries Allegra and Albert and Amy and Paul took a Hawaiian cruise together. For years they square danced at various places in the area.

Albert was a man of great heart who lived an ordinary life filled with hard work, simple truths, and great kindness. He was deeply devoted to his family and to his church, the Denzer United Methodist, formerly Evangelical United Brethren. He generously supported its ministry and served in many leadership roles, including as a trustee of the cemetery board for many years. There was very seldom a Sunday service or Bible study when he wasnt in attendance or a daily devotion that he missed. The highlight of their church year was the joint sponsorship with the BlackHawk UM church of the 4^th of July at Witwen. He and Allegra served many years as cashiers and were honored one year as grand marshals of the parade.

Albert was skilled in cabinetry, making all the shelves for the antique shop. He also enjoyed repairing and refinishing antiques. He shared his knowledge with 4-H boys, many of whom chose that work for their professions. His gardens and lawns were admired by many. Albert greatly enjoyed sports, stemming from playing softball as a youth and young adult, inspiring Aaron to do the same. But Alberts greatest talent was in making friends with everyone he met, for he had a wonderful sense of humor, and an outgoing personality that attracted even strangers. Even animals responded to him, knowing that he was gentle and kind to them.

He was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother, Mary Zick, his sister Olive Wawrock and brother Floyd Zick, brothers-in-law, Howard Shale, Robert Crawford and Karl Parker, special cousins Evelyn Sprecher, Nyla Sprecher Luetscher, and Neva Sprecher Fingerhuth, and special friends Adolph and Lotte Huelsemann.

Albert is survived by Allegra, his wife of 68 years, his son Aaron (Lizzie Cheney) Zick, and daughter Amy (Paul Seiler), sisters-in-law, Margery Parker and Shirley Crawford, nieces and nephews in-law, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at Denzer UM Church on Monday, December 2 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Redlin Funeral Home in Baraboo on Sunday, December 1, and from 10 a.m. until the time of services at the Denzer Church on Monday, December 2.

The family wants to extend thanks to their special neighbors Kaitlyn Green and Megan Ringelstetter, to the staff at St. Croix Hospice and Bright Star for their wonderful care, and to Dr. Rx Flygt, Alberts physician. Memorials may be made to the Sauk County Humane Society, the Denzer U.M. Church or the Denzer Cemetery.