Joseph William Zacher
Joseph William Zacher, better known as "Joe," was born on April 3, 1968, to Ruth Ann Zacher and William “Bill” Wilfred Zacher. He passed away peacefully with his daughters by his side on July 23, 2026, after courageously battling cancer for more than 31 years.
Joe was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and was a proud graduate of the University of Kansas. He spent the past 28 years in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he devoted much of his life to raising his greatest joys, his daughters, Sydney and Hope.
Joe lived life with remarkable determination, generosity, and adventure. Whether he was coaching his daughters' soccer teams, competing in Ironman triathlons (and countless other races), pacing friends through ultramarathons, riding his motorcycles, or finding ways to give back to his community, he approached everything with passion and heart. His strength, resilience, and unwavering optimism inspired everyone who knew him.
Joe will forever be remembered for his willingness to help anyone in need, his display of courage in the face of life's hardships, and the compassion he showed to everyone he met. Above all, he will be remembered as a loving and devoted father to his girls.
Joe was preceded in death by his father, Bill. He is survived by his daughters, Sydney and Hope; his mother, Ruth; and many extended family members, friends, and loved ones whose lives he touched deeply.
For those who would like to learn more about Joe's incredible journey, we invite you to read this article: https://www.endurancemag.com/2010/06/cancer-awareness-a-personal-story-of-triumph/.
As many of you know, the type of cancer Joe lived with is exceptionally rare and remains significantly underfunded and under-researched. To learn more, donate, or get involved, please visit https://linktr.ee/curesft and https://curesft.org/.
Joe spent years working to help establish this foundation, and we are proud to share that it has officially launched. In honor of her dad and his legacy, Sydney now serves as a member of the foundation's Board of Directors. We know Joe would be incredibly proud of the work that lies ahead and the hope it will bring to future patients and families.
A celebration of Joe’s life will be held at D's Bottle Shop on Saturday, August 15th from 3pm until 6pm. Visitors are free to come and go at any time