Jeffrey Zarth

STOUGHTON - Jeffrey V. Zarth, age 79, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. He was born on Sept. 21, 1941, in Lakewood, Ohio, to Victor W. and Jean H. (Loesch) Zarth. Jeff attended Lakewood Schools and graduated from Lakewood High School in 1959. He met Rita Ann Chapman, in high school and they married in 1962. While in Lakewood, Jeff was very active in the Jaycees and involved in developing the Westerly Senior Citizens Apartment Complex. In 1967, Jeff accepted a position and transferred to Milwaukee. Jeff and Rita settled in Brookfield where the couple had three daughters, Melanie, Melinda and Meredith. Again, Jeff was active in the New Berlin Jaycees. Another position change came in 1975 when Jeff became the general manager of Highway Manufacturing in Edgerton, and then relocated to Janesville. In 1980, Jeff accepted the challenge to help grow Stoughton Trailers as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Following his divorce, he relocated to Stoughton in 1989. During the 80s Jeff discovered the love of flying and earned his private license in 1986. With two friends, he purchased a Cessna Skyhawk and Jeff flew until 2015. In 1990, Jeff married Debora Sue (Leifheit) Hollenbeck and helped her raise Jennifer Hollenbeck. Jeff retired from Stoughton Trailers in 1993 and started his own company selling the product as an independent agent known as Zarth Trailer Sales until 2007. He divorced in 2007 and met Brenda Ann (Daubner) Dottl the same year. Brenda and Jeff married in 2013. Jeff has always been involved with volunteer groups or boards. These include the Jaycees, The Westerly Board, President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Corvette Restorers Society, The Stoughton Area Resource Team (S.T.A.R.T) Executive Board, The Shalom Holistic Health Clinic Board, chairman of The Christ Lutheran Church Parish Fellowship team, The Christ Lutheran Church Council, Founder and operator of Folks Wagons, Inc., Mad City Vettes VP, and Cars Curing Kids Board of the UW American Family Children's Hospital, the Kegonsa Masonic Lodge #73 F. & A.M. as a 32nd Degree Mason and also a member of the Scottish Rites Bodies. Through Folks Wagons, Jeff gave away 75 cars to those in need in the Stoughton School District. Jeff had a passion for cars. Over the years he has enjoyed a Corvette convertible, three collector cars and even a motorcycle from 1960 until 2017 and rode 160,000 miles from 2000 to 2017. Traveling has always been his dream. Jeff traveled to all 50 states by motorcycle, then traveled the Swiss Alps in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy in 2007. He and Brenda traveled through Europe in 2015, and New Zealand in 2016. Jeff completed his bucket list of seeing all major mountain ranges in the world with the exception of the Andes and Himalayas. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Zarth; daughters, Melanie Zarth, Melinda (Duane) Pierson and Meredith Zarth; stepdaughter, Jennifer Fosdal; stepson, Joe Dottl; stepdaughter, Jessica Dottl; stepson, Gabriel Dottl; and grandchildren, Savannah and Seth Fosdal and Tyler Pierson. He was preceded in death by his parents. A funeral service will be held at CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 700 Count Highway B, Stoughton, at 11:30 a.m., on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, with the Rev. Paula Geister-Jones presiding. A luncheon will be served following the funeral service. Burial will be at Wheeler Prairie Cemetery. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON STOUGHTON FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 1358 Highway 51 N. at Jackson St., Stoughton, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, with a Masonic Service beginning at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Another visitation will be held on Monday from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the service at 11:30 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to S.T.A.R.T (Stoughton Area Resource Team) or CCK (Cars Curing Kids) or Christ Lutheran Church. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Stoughton Funeral & Cremation Care 1358 Highway 51 N. at Jackson St. (608) 873-4590