Lorraine Magdalene Zajicek

Lorraine Presley Zajicek was born on February 4, 1921, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Edward and Mary (Jordan) Presley. Lorraine spent her youth in the historic Dayton's Bluff neighborhood on Saint Paul's east side, walking to elementary school at her neighborhood Sacred Heart Church and graduating from Harding High School. Her favorite subjects were German and chemistry. She was an avid reader but still had time for after school pursuits including ice-skating, swimming, choir, Girl Reserves and German Club. In 1937, she graduated two years early, 34th on the honor roll of 75, in her class of 278 students. She wanted to go to college so badly she went to her boyfriend's classes at the U, just to "soak it in". Her father's death when she was 15 made "college expenses out of the question". Instead, she went on to work in increasingly complex jobs starting with Burlington Northern, her father's employer, during high school, and after High School at 3M's statistical department, as supervisor of tabulation equipment at the Minnesota State Taxation Department, the St. Paul Companies using the first IBM data card readers. A new life course was opened by the courtship of a handsome young building entrepreneur from Hutchinson. Their courtship began among the wild exuberance of V-J Day at the Bar Harbor Supper Club in Nisswa, Minnesota and ended in a proposal at her front door in St. Paul, Minnesota a year later. She married Roger Ivan Zajicek on August 30, 1947, beginning a life of love, industriousness, and community involvement that left a legacy of buildings, businesses, children and grandchildren. They shared 45 years of marriage until Roger passed away on November 4, 1993. As a wife and mother in Hutchinson, she worked in secretarial and payroll work at Hutchinson Manufacturing, Incorporated from 1968-1970; did accounting at Goebels, a commercial fixture company, from 1970-1975; played a major role in the community design of a new bridge; and from 1975 to 1991, worked in payroll at Hutchinson Technology eventually becoming its head. Lorraine, in her free time, enjoyed being secretary of her bowling league, golfing, tending to her gardens and playing bridge. On Sunday, December 28, 2014, in her beloved Hutchinson surrounded by family and loved ones, Lorraine Presley Zajicek left this world peacefully to meet her dear husband, Roger and her maker. Lorraine is survived by her: Children, Tom Zajicek of Cortez, CO; Bill Zajicek and his wife, Romi Slowiak of St. Paul, MN, Dr. Barbara Zajicek- Daggett and her husband, Tom Daggett of Hutchinson, MN; Grandchildren, Ben Zajicek and his wife, Ruth, Anna Zajicek, Andrew Zajicek, Jack Daggett and his wife Molly, Caitlin Daggett; Great Grandchildren, Katherine Zajicek, Eleanor Zajicek, Elliott Daggett; Cousins, Carol Sailer of Surprise, AZ, Larry Schinka of Burnsville, MN; Many other relatives and friends. Lorraine is preceded in death by her Parents, Edward and Mary Presley; Husband, Roger Zajicek; Older Sister, Grace Schinka and her husband, John.