Zackary Jon Willprecht

Zackary Jon Willprecht, affectionately known as “Zack,” age 27, of Martinsville, IN (formerly of Breckenridge, MN), passed away unexpectedly in a car accident on Sunday, March 12, 2023. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 18, 2023, with the visitation beginning at 11 a.m., at Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home in Breckenridge. Pastor Timothy Nyarandi, MD, will be officiating the service. Following the service, a reception will be held at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home in Wahpeton, ND. Burial will be held at a later date at Faith Lutheran Cemetery in Dwight, ND. Arrangements have been entrusted to Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home.

Zack was welcomed into this world on November 19, 1995, in Fort Leavenworth, KS, by Christopher Willprecht, Trista (Willprecht) Hodges, and his older brother, Connor. Trista and the boys lived in a few different states before making their home in Breckenridge, where Zack was raised. He was baptized at Breckenridge Lutheran Church on Christmas Eve and attended the Breckenridge Public Schools. His high school career boasted of sports achievements, and he participated fiercely in wrestling and football. After his formal education, he was trained in plumbing, then worked for Twin City Refrigeration and Pizza Hut; he was a jack of all trades. In 2017, Zack lived in Sioux Falls, SD, and worked for Chad Olson specializing at that time in construction but feverishly loved spending his free time mountain climbing in Falls Park.

Zack went wherever the road took him. With a brilliant and creative mind, he purchased and renovated an old van that served as his home on wheels while traveling across the country to pursue his love of snowboarding. He was an adventure-loving thrill seeker; from a young age, he quickly became skilled in skateboarding and loved shredding asphalt or snow. During the height of the season, Zack worked at ski resorts in California and Colorado. Notably, he had a chance encounter with Elton John while working on the ski lift. Zack was the life of the party; his presence brightened the room and radiated an immense joy and love for life. His heart treasured his family, especially his mom; he was a mama’s boy through and through. It crushed him to see her experience the devastating news of her cancer diagnosis, but he did everything in his power to show up and support her in any way he could.

Most recently, Zack was residing in Indiana, and while living there, he took an opportunity that brought him on a fishing boat in Alaska for months at a time.

Zack’s humor, smile, and kind heart will be forever missed by his parents, Trista and Kurt Hodges, and Christopher and Candice Willprecht; grandparents, Hugh and Julie Mikkelson, Judi Mikkelson, Delyle and Sandra Willprecht; brother, Connor and Kaylie Willprecht; sister, Faith Willprecht; sister, Alyssa Hodges and Layton Maher; brother, Logan and Sabrina King; brother, Jacob Amour; aunts and uncles, Tara and Glenn Klostreich, Tertia and Kyle Christensen, Ty and Stef Mikkelson, and David and Brandy Willprecht; cousins, Spencer and Jaclyn Hollands, Seth and Mandy Klostreich, Cole and Jennifer Praus, Addie Christensen, Zane and Chase Mikkelson, Gunnar Holte, and Collin; nephew, Sawyer Willprecht; niece, Aubri “Aubs” Rinnels; special great-uncle, Gary Hollands; godmother, Christine Petersen; spiritual family, Joe, Johanna, Gracie, and Grandma Nan; and numerous step-aunts, step-uncles, and step-cousins.

He was preceded in death by maternal great-grandparents, George and Doris Hollands, Clarence and Leona Mikkelson, and Wes and Donna Hodges; paternal great-grandparents, Al and Nora Willprecht and, James and Marie Larson; and special great-aunt, Rev. Sandy Hollands.