Dan Zavadil

Dan, Sandra and Doris Zavadil

Dan Zavadil's parents were cash poor farmers who always found a way to give back to their small Catholic parish and to the community. "It was instilled in us that we needed to return to God the gifts of a good, or not so good, crop," Dan said. He said that Jesus's Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25: 14-30 is a constant lesson to him of our responsibility to be good stewards of God's gifts to us, no matter the size.

When Dan's first wife, Marilyn, passed away in 1987, he experienced firsthand the importance of community in the Church. They were in Pocatello at the time, but their daughter Sandra had moved to Boise beforehand. Marilyn's death left Dan feeling alone.

"A few years later, Father Steve Rukavina was assigned to St. Joseph's parish in Pocatello. He had a profound impact on my idea of church. His example of giving back God's gifts (time, talent, and possessions) challenged me to be a more sharing member. He always reminded members that God cannot be outdone in giving," Dan said.

With Father Rukavina celebrating, Dan married Doris Willsing at St. Mark's in 2004. He and Doris are now parishioners of Holy Apostles. Dan wants the Church to thrive, and he considers it his duty to do everything he can to support the Church, whether physically or financially.

Because of Father Rukavina's example, Dan decided to leave his estate through the Zavadil Revocable Trust to benefit three schools in the Diocese of Boise. This will be given to the diocese after he, his wife, and his daughter pass away.