Stephen Lee “Hoss” Zbornik

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 5:19 pm

Stephen Lee “Hoss” Zbornik, 58, of Fort Atkinson, died Nov. 21, 2016, at his home. Funeral services are at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Chekal Chapel in Fort Atkinson, with Rev. Troy Vande Lune presiding. Burial is in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Fort Atkinson. Friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 28, and also after 10 a.m., Tuesday, at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Chekal Chapel, Fort Atkinson. Music is by Karla, Jeremiah and Gloria Bicknese and “Rodeo Preacher,” on a recording by White River. Casket bearers are Mike Hurd, Kurt Neyens, Sam Zbornik, Andrew Magner, Ron Schmitt, Mark Neyens, Stacy Bushman and John Zbornik. Interment is at Oak Hill Cemetery, Fort Atkinson. Arrangements are being handled by Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Chekal Chapel, Fort Atkinson.

Stephen Lee “Hoss” Zbornik was born June 4, 1958, in Decorah, the son of Adrian and Helen (Shindelar) Zbornik. Stephen graduated from Turkey Valley High School in 1976 and from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids in 1978, with a degree in horse husbandry. Stephen was married to Kathy Clemmens and they had Stephen James and Hannah, and they later divorced. During the summer of 1977, he worked for Dick Sparrow’s O’s Gold 40 horse hitch, from Zearing. Stephen then worked for the Budweiser Brewing Company in St. Louis, Mo., taking care of their Clysdale horses for one year. Stephen lived in Cedar Rapids for several years and then returned to Fort Atkinson in 1984, to farm the family farm and help milk at many dairy farms. In 1993, he worked with Country’s Reminisce Hitch going from coast to coast. Stephen has always loved and enjoyed horses all his life and he enjoyed the simple life.

Stephen is survived by his children, Hannah (Trent) Bildstein, Johnston and Stephen James Zbornik, Fort Atkinson; his mother, Helen Zbornik, Fort Atkinson; four sisters: Susan Zbornik, Decorah, and Australia; Cathy Zbornik (Kurt Neyens) Cedar Rapids; Julie Zbornik, (Wayne Lott) Colorado Springs, Colo. and Sarah Zbornik, Decorah; one brother, John (Carol) Zbornik, Menominee, Wis.; four nephews: Andrew and Jacob Magner and Ben and Sam Zbornik; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.  

Stephen was preceded in death by his father, Adrian Zbornik; brother-in-law, Andrew Thompson of Australia; grandparents: Frank and Elizabeth Zbornik and Albert and Helen Shindelar.