Joseph Martin "Joey" Zadina

Joseph “Joey” Martin Zadina was born October 28th, 1992 the youngest child of Marty and Vickie Zadina. Joey went to sing with the choir of angels October 12, 2015 at the young age of 22.

Joey was very fortunate to graduate with many of his best friends in the Class of 2011 at Rock Hills High School in Mankato. Just a few of the many accomplishments in high school included being a member of the National Honor Society, an FBLA Officer, a State Champion in IDA Forensics, and a 2 time member of the State Champion Sand Greens Golf Team.

Joey attended the University of Kansas majoring in Education. His freshman year at KU he lived in the Battenfeld KU Scholarship Hall. He was awarded the Hixson Opportunity Award. A passionate Kansas Jayhawk, Joey was an avid basketball fan and looked forward to the start of every basketball season with the annual “Late Night in the Phog” every October. Family and friends alike tuned in to the Jayhawk games to try to pick out the big red Afro in the stands. During his Junior Year at KU he was fortunate to fulfill a lifelong dream of studying abroad. He made his home for the trip at the University of Leicester, in Leicester, England. It truly was an opportunity of a lifetime for him.

He shared a love of dirt track racing with his dad Marty and brother Aaron, or anyone else he could talk into tagging along with him. His detours to every dirt track race in a several state area, included trivia of every driver and their numbers. There literally was not a driver or car in the pits that he didn’t know. Family and friends learned over the many races attended to never getting into a betting game over the races with him. He could always be heard in the stands cheering on two of his favorites the 19J of Justin Basart and the 75 of Jon Thompson.

Joey grew up attending Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato and was an active member of Velocity Church in Lawrence. He loved working with his friends in the Luther League Youth Group in Mankato and volunteering with different programs at his new church in Lawrence.

Family and friends will remember Joey for his trademark voluminous red Afro, his infectious smile, contagious laugh, and his pure charisma. He loved deeply, dreamed big, and overflowed with radiant joy at all moments. He loved the way we all want to be loved. He drew people of all walks of life to him. His passion for living was evident when he burst into a spontaneous song, laughter, or a dance move. He truly was a man of many dances.

Family was everything to Joey. Joey loved kids and had a special gift that drew them to his presence wherever he would go. Being “Uncle Joey” to his nieces and nephews held a very special place in his heart. He never forgot or missed a celebration or birthday for any of them.

Joey was no stranger to the reality that we are all mortal. With his family, friends, and community by his side he beat cancer not once but twice. He never let being a cancer survivor define him, but learned to embrace life with gusto, cherish the past, but to live fully in the present.

Joey is survived by his parents Marty and Vickie Zadina of Mankato; grandparents Alma Zadina, Mankato; Marion O’Brien, Ellsworth; great-grandmother Betty Katzenmeier, Ellsworth; his siblings, Amanda Womack and husband Steve of Concordia; Aaron Zadina and wife Nicole of Greensburg; Kayla Dunstan and husband Russell of Formoso; Brice Ost of Mankato; Mikaela Klos of Lawrence; and the true joys of his life his nieces and nephews, Paige, Peyton, Brody, Thayer, Palmer, Griffen, Emmit, and Baby D.

Joey’s celebration of life will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday October 17th, 2015 at the Rock Hills High School Gymnasium, Mankato, Kansas, with Pastor Dennis Beckman officiating.. The visitation will be held Saturday, October 17th, 2015, from 9:00-11-00 a.m. at Melby Mortuary in Mankato. Memorials may be sent to Melby Mortuary in Mankato, and will be determined at a later date. Online condolences can be left at www.melbymortuary.com.