Newspaper Page Text
10A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, April 3,2019
Photo for the Dawson County News
Bill Zadernak is remembered by his friends and colleagues for being full of
life. Zadernak died March 24 after a battle with cancer.
FROM 1A
Zadernak
said. “(He) loved children, loved helping
kids to see that they all had something to
contribute.”
Superintendent Damon Gibbs said
Zadernak was one of the first people he met
when he came to Dawson County five
years ago and that he truly had a love for
the children in the community.
“He was bigger than life and had a love
for our children like few people I have ever
met,” Gibbs said. “When you spent time
with Bill, you never forgot that experience.
He was one of a kind.”
Zadernak, originally from Butler, Pa.,
began his career in Dawson County in June
of 1988 when he came to teach physical
education and coach football and basket
ball. He retired in 2015 after a 30 year
career in education.
During his career, Zadernak coached var
sity football, middle school and junior var
sity basketball and varsity baseball for
Dawson County. He was also the athletic
director for the high school.
In 2000 he was named the assistant prin
cipal at the previous Dawson County
Middle School and became its principal in
2004.
“As a teacher and a colleague, I think he
made everybody feel important,” Nicole
LeCave said.
LeCave, director of teaching and learning
at Dawson County Schools, remembers
being a teacher and administrator under
Zademak’s administration and said estab
lishing a place where people wanted to
work was one of his strengths as a leader.
She thought back to one instance where
he made required responsibilities enjoy
able.
Though LeCave described supervising
ball games as a task that was never fun in
itself, she loved supervising games with
Zadernak because he always made it fun.
“I laughed until I cried in the press box
of Dawson County Middle School many
times just from him joking and sharing sto
ries about his family,” LeCave said.
Zadernak often referred to himself in the
third person as “Z Man” and was fond of
saying “Z Man to the rescue,” according to
Darnell and LeCave, and they recounted
many memories of “Z Man” coming to the
rescue for his students.
“I think everybody knew that he really
would do whatever the kids needed,”
LeCave said. “I know personally of him
driving students back and forth from prac
tice because they wanted to participate in
sports and the parents couldn’t pick them
up, and he would drive them home. He
would feed them on the way home.”
His friend Tracey Compton also remem
bers Zademak’s generosity and selflessness
as he strived to give the best to his students
and staff.
“If you were around him and you said ‘I
need gas in my car’ he’d say ‘well give me
your keys, I’ll go fdl it up for you,”’
Compton said. “He would, and did, give
you the shirt off his back.”
Compton first met Zadernak when she
was on the interview team when he applied
for the assistant principal position at the
middle school. After she transitioned to her
role as director of school improvement and
accountability, she maintained a close
friendship with Zadernak.
With their sons being the same age,
Compton would always see Zadernak at
the school baseball games as they watched
their kids play on the field.
Though Compton’s husband was the
coach at the time, she said Zadernak was
always there to help the program whether it
was by serving concessions in 100 degree
weather by himself, transporting kids or
purchasing equipment for them so they
could play sports.
“He wouldn’t allow there to be a barrier,”
Compton said.
Darnell said once when the middle
school hosted a semi-formal dance with a
dress code requiring boys to wear ties and
‘Z Man’ came to the rescue to help remove
one of those barriers for a student.
“That was a big deal to dress up and have
a tie, and there was a young man that came
and he didn’t have a tie. Bill took the tie
from around his neck and tied it on that lit
tle boy,” Darnell said. “The little boy was
like ‘I can’t take your tie’ and he was like
‘yeah you got a Z Man tie now,’ and he was
just making light of it. But it was just so
touching and that’s how he was all the
time.”
With Zadernak, there were no barriers
for students, teachers or parents.
Darnell said when their kids were little
'I think everybody knew
that he really would do
whatever the kids needed. I
know personally of him
driving students back and
forth from practice
because they wanted to
participate in sports and
the parents couldn't pick
them up, and he would
drive them home. He would
feed them on the way
home.'
Nicole LeCave
Dawson County Schools director of
teaching and learning
he opened his office to the kids and car-
pooled to Robinson Elementary School
every morning to help his teachers with
homeroom classes that were unable to drop
their children off at the elementary school.
Darnell said Zadernak will be remem
bered as a “model of integrity, generosity
and kindness” who was dedicated to his
students, his family and his community.
“He was that way regardless of who he
was talking to. You didn’t have to be his
close inner circle of friends. If he could
help somebody he was going to help them,”
Darnell said. “He was dedicated not only to
Dawson County Schools, he was a dedicat
ed husband. He was a dedicated father to
his children. He loved his family.”
He is survived by his wife of 33 years,
Bonnie Zadernak of Gainesville; children,
Lauren Zadernak, Scott Zadernak; mother,
Nancy Zadernak of Butler, Pa.; sisters and
brothers-in-law, Pauline and James Stavely
of West Chester, Pa., Jean and Donald
Dentinger of Louisville, Ky.; mother and
father-in-law, Eleanor and David Hackett,
Renfrew, Pa.; various other relatives also
survive.
A memorial service for Zadernak took
place at 11 a.m. on March 30 at Bearden
Funeral Home Chapel. The family received
friends at the funeral home from 4 to 8 p.m.
on March 29.
In lieu of flowers donations are requested
in Bill’s memory to the REACH scholar
ship program at https://reachga.org/donate/.
Select Dawson County Schools as the dis
trict.
ARTHRITIS &
TOTAL JOINT
SPECIALISTS
GEORGIA'S LEADER
IN JOINT REPLACEMENT
At Arthritis & Total Joint Specialists, we deliver treatment for
those suffering from chronic joint pain due to arthritis or other
conditions. Our physicians are board-certified experts and
leaders in joint replacement, and offer the latest in minimally-
invasive surgery, including anterior hip replacement and robotic
knee surgery to return you to activity.
The industry leaders in rapid recovery, we strive to get you home
within hours of your surgery, and with less pain.
• Same-day total joint replacement
• Non-surgical evaluation & treatment of arthritis
• Primary & revision hip & knee replacement
• Robotic surgery
Call or visit for an appointment:
ArthritisandTotalJoint.com
3 CONVENIENT
LOCATIONS
PHONE: 770-292-6500
3400-C Old Milton Pkwy
Suite 290
Alpharetta, GA 30005
1505 Northside Blvd
Suite 3500
Cumming, GA 30041
&
460 Northside Cherokee Blvd
Suite 430
Canton, GA 30115
Dr. Jeffrey P. Garrett
Dr. Kenneth J. Kress
Dr. Jon E. Minter
"Advertising in the
Dawson County
News has helped
me grow my
business and reach
new customers"
4?^ Salt MedSpa
/ Halotherapy
Susan Gantick,
Owner
What on earth is Halotherapy and what is it doing in
Dawsonville? When you approach the storefront of Salt MedSpa
of Dawsonville, the first thing you notice are the strikingly
beautiful Himalayan salt lamps on display But we offer so
much more! Salt MedSpa of Dawsonville also has an Infrared
Sauna, Massage Therapy, Facials and HydraFacial Treatment.
In September, Sue Gantick, the owner of Salt MedSpa opened
their doors to share the amazing properties of salt and help
people who suffer from a variety of respiratory conditions.
“I began advertising with the Dawson County News even before
we opened our doors. We have seen results and watched our
business grow. We are thrilled with our newspaper partnership
and the creative ideas, products and services the Dawson
County News provides to us.”
78 Dawson Village Way,
Dawsonville, GA, 30534
678-835-SALT (7258)
www.saltmedspa.com/
Dawsonville
Dawson
County
News
To advertise your business,
call 706-265-3384 or email
Alex at amathison@dawsonnews.com or
Brenda at bbohn@dawsonnews.com
DawsonNews com
