Joseph Emmett Zachmann

Joe was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 30, 1958, to Emmett and Geraldine Zachmann.

Joe was raised in Minnetonka, MN and attended the University of Minnesota where he completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in Soil Science, and a doctorate in Soil Microbiology. Joe worked as a scientist for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Braun Intertec, and finished his career as a consultant for Land O' Lakes, Inc. Joe maintained friendships with colleagues, especially a group of friends from Braun, with whom he learned to play Bridge and continued to play regularly until his passing.

Joe was always curious about the world around him, from language and culture to the arts and science, and that curiosity led him to explore interests that became lifelong passions. In 1976, Joe spent the last half of his senior year as an exchange student in a German immersion school in La Paz, Boliva. In 1979, he returned to South America to teach 5th grade math and science in Bogota, Columbia. Joe had an extensive network of South American friends who kept in touch by email. Joe and John traveled to South America multiple times to visit friends, travel to his favorite towns, and attend two high school reunions in La Paz.

Joe loved adventures, and enjoyed traveling with family and friends, but he especially treasured his time traveling with John. Together, they traveled through the North, Central and Southern Americas; Europe, Asia, Russia, China, New Zealand and Australia. They were great traveling companions and were planning their next adventure when Joe died. They spent many years backpacking in John's home state of Utah and eventually purchased a teardrop trailer, their version of glamping and made multiple trips to the national parks in Utah.

Joe was a true renaissance man. He was fluent in Spanish and had an ear for language due in part to spending time with German relatives; and learned enough French to navigate interactions in small French towns. He was a skilled knitter and made beautiful scarves for friends and made socks and mittens for John. His mother taught him to sew, and he made his own shirts in South America. Joe's science background fueled his interest in becoming a gourmet cook and baker. Everyone who sat at his table was appreciative of his talents and enjoyed his exceptional cuisine. Joe maintained an extensive vegetable garden at their home in South Minneapolis and then had a small container garden in their downtown Minneapolis condominium. Joe was an avid reader of English and Spanish fiction and kept current with technological innovations.

Joe's spontaneity, wit and generosity was deeply appreciated by all who knew him. He was resourceful and spent time finding answers to friends' questions; he loved to play board games; he was playful with his nieces and nephews and their children and with friends' children and was always up to trying something new.

Joe served on numerous non-profit boards as part of his commitment to the arts (particularly dance), immigrant neighbors and environmental sustainability. He traveled to Paris for two weeks every fall for 25 years to teach ecological risk reduction and environmental science. John joined Joe during these trips, and they took advantage of the proximity to Europe for additional adventures. Family and friends joined them in Paris where John served as tour guide.

Joe is survived by his husband John of 45 years, son Ethan Schaumburger, brother Bill Zachmann (Patricia Olson), sister Maria Zachmann (Julia McCunn), numerous relatives and cousins and John's family; sister-in-law Chris Thresher (Dave Thresher), brother-in-law Gary Hartt, seven nieces and nephews, and their wonderful children. He is preceded in death by his parents, and sister Rita Zachmann.

A celebration of Joe's life will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis on January 30, 2027, at 11:00 am.