Roger John Zahorski

Roger John Zahorski passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Hudson Hospital. He was under the care of an exceptional team of knowledgeable, compassionate, and thoughtful professionals who provided comfort during his final days.

Born with a spirit that contained multitudes, Roger was a man of extraordinary depth. He grew up on a dairy farm, learning the values of hard work and integrity that would define his life. A standout athlete, Roger excelled at Weyerhaeuser High School and went on to Colorado State University on a basketball scholarship, later graduating from UWRF. Though he held record-setting achievements in track and field and basketball, he never measured his life by trophies. To Roger, those were merely chapters in a much larger story.

He dedicated over 40 years of his life to 3M, a career that satisfied his desire to travel and explore the world. Beyond his professional life, Roger was an "intellectual bull"—a man of brilliant, articulate, and incisive mind. Whether the topic was politics, theology, literature, or the nuances of the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line, Roger approached every conversation with passionate intensity, sharp wit, and a signature, good-humored sarcasm. Yet, beneath the intellectual sparring, he possessed a deeply kind, clear-eyed sense of justice and a refusal to judge others based on their backgrounds.

Roger was a devoted teacher, coach, and outdoorsman. Whether walking sites from around the world, hunting the fields of wisconsin, or teaching his son's how to fish, he felt most at peace in the wild. Above all, his greatest legacy is his family. He leaves behind his beloved wife, LeRae (Jergenson); sons, Vance (Jen) and Cullen; daughters, Suzanne Peoples (Rae) and Shannon Weimer (Jason); his sister, Bonnie; his best friend, George Czarnecki; and nine grandchildren who adored him.

Roger lived a life of integrity, teaching those around him to be financially responsible, to hold the door for others, and to always do the right thing. He will be remembered not just for the lives he touched, but for the profound love he left behind.

Please join us for a celebration of Roger’s life on July 8th, at Tattersall Distillery in River Falls, WI. We will be gathering to remember him from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and invite all those whose lives he touched to attend.

Services have been entrusted to O'Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Hudson. For more information, to share a memory, or to offer condolences, please visit www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com or call (715) 684-3434.