Rev. Daniel J. Zak [19041-2021]
Jul. 15—The Rev. Daniel J. Zak, a Roman Catholic priest whose impact extended beyond the Diocese of Toledo through his campus ministry at the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, died Saturday at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, South Detroit Avenue. He was 79.
He learned in 2017 that he had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which eventually caused him to use supplemental oxygen. He retired in 2012 as pastor of St. Richard Parish in Swanton and was granted senior status.
He continued his work with the home repair ministry of Maumee Valley Habitat For Humanity, the prison ministry team at Toledo Correctional Institution, and with the Christian Appalachian Project, where he'd long worked with students in home building repair as an alternative spring break. He was an active Rotary Club member in Swanton and Maumee. He did counseling with the Sophia Center at Lourdes University.
"He never really slowed down from 2012 until the pandemic," said Ted Stechschulte, a longtime friend.
From 1982-94, Father Zak was co-pastor with the Rev. James Bacik of Corpus Christi University Parish at UT.
"We had mutual respect. We realized we had different roles and brought different talents to it," Father Bacik said. "He had immense energy and had new ideas all the time and helped build up Corpus Christi."
One of those talents was in recognizing students who were potential leaders and encouraging their growth — and allowing them to make decisions.
"He was an authentic human being and a great servant leader priest," Father Bacik said.
For several years afterward, Father Zak was a chaplain at St. Thomas More University Parish in Bowling Green.
Early on, Father Zak was an associate principal of Lima Central Catholic High School. In the early 1970s, when he was diocesan director of vocations, Father Zak cultivated those interested in church-related vocations. That included holding retreats with eighth graders and high school students.
"He made everyone feel they were a unique person," said Mr. Stechschulte, who was in an eighth grade retreat at St. Anthony School in Columbus Grove, Ohio. "He treated you like you were a friend of his and he was a friend of yours."
Mr. Stechschulte married his high school sweetheart, and Father Zak officiated — and later baptized their three children, officiated at their marriages, and baptized their children. Father Zak officiated at other family weddings and baptisms.
"That's how he touched everyone," Mr. Stechschulte said. "He got to know people and became part of people's families."
He was born Nov. 4, 1941, to Adeline and Thaddeus Zak, grew up in North Toledo, and was a 1959 graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School. He was a graduate of St. Meinrad Seminary College in Indiana and received a master of theology degree from Mount St. Mary's Seminary College in Cincinnati. He continued his studies at Xavier University in Cincinnati and St. Louis University in St. Louis. He had a master of education degree in counseling and guidance from UT.
He was ordained in 1967.
His twin brother, David Zak, died Sept. 10, 2018.
Surviving are his brothers Jim and Ted Zak.
Visitation on Friday at Corpus Christi University Parish will follow a receiving ceremony, which is to begin at 2 p.m. A vespers service will begin at 7 p.m. Friday. Visitation will continue from 8-9:30 a.m. Saturday at Corpus Christi, where the funeral Mass will begin at 10 a.m. The Mass will be available on the live stream link on the parish website, ccup.org. Arrangements are by Coyle Funeral Home.
Memorials may take the form of contributions to the Rev. Daniel J. Zak Trust or to a charity of the donor's choice.