Dominic “Nick” Joseph Zeman
February 25, 1972 - May 10, 2023
Dominic “Nick” Joseph Zeman, of Owatonna, Nerstrand, and Eden Prairie, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 10, 2023. He was a passionate artist, performer, brother, uncle, and friend, and could charm just about anyone with a few words and a knowing smile.
Nick started school early, as a two-and-a-half-year-old on the minibus to the Day Activity Center. He attended St. Mary’s and later Owatonna High School, graduating in 1993. Dominic blossomed as a 4H-er in Steele County, doing dog demonstrations and showing cows, pigs, and lambs. He was also an eager member of dairy judging and dairy quiz bowl teams.
After high school graduation, Nick lived independently and had several different jobs through job-coach-supported companies. As legislation supporting people with disabilities changed, Nick had more opportunities to chart his own path. Polly Owens of PossAbilities in Rochester worked with him on person-centered planning and asked, “Nick – who are you? What would you like to do with your life?”
One answer was to live with family, which obviously included farming, first at the Kenyon farm with his sisters Theresa and Kathy, and then at Simple Harvest Farm Organics in Nerstrand with Kathy, where his farming enterprises took off: aptly named Nick’s Dog Treats and Nick’s Eggs. He was fully supported by fellow vendors and shoppers at Northfield’s Riverwalk Market Fair in its inaugural years and at Just Food Co-op, where he was one of the Co-op’s first employees. He continued his farming education at several MOSES Organic Farming Conferences.
In his forties, he also moved in with his sister Liz, brother-in-law Jeff, and their five children, Tyler (Carmen), Hannah (Andrew), Sarah, Madison, and Anthony. With them, he had many adventures. He traveled to New York City to see Sarah and Madison and to visit the “Central Perk” of his all-time favorite show, “Friends;” he swam in the warm waters off Marco Island; he spent four magical days in New Orleans with street musicians, beignets, and gumbo; and he canoed and camped in the serene Boundary Waters Canoe and Wilderness Area. He also traveled independently throughout Alaska with Hammer Travel.
Nick’s true artistry bloomed when he joined Interact Center for the Visual & Performing Arts in 2012. As a performer, he acted, danced, and sang in numerous plays, including performances at the Guthrie Theatre. He also participated in a five-week artist residency in Thailand. At Interact, Nick was celebrated as an entertainer, a storyteller, a dancer, and a visual artist. He was a star onstage with his brilliant comedic timing and wry wit. After the pandemic, he explored soft color-pencil drawing and work with ceramics, in addition to his lifelong passion for knitting and embroidery, as taught by his Auntie Lorena.
Beyond Nick’s many accomplishments, we will remember his joy, his compassion, his vivacious wit, and the way he felt and honored every emotion. He truly wore his heart on his sleeve, often adorned with his iconic rainbow suspenders. Nick was, and will always be, our dancing queen.
We will celebrate Dominic’s life on Tuesday, May 16th, with an open house at 12:30 PM and a Sendoff service at 2 PM at the Valley Grove Preservation Society, 9999 155th Street E, Nerstrand, MN 55053. Reverend Trish Sullivan Vanni of the Charis Ecumenical Catholic Community will lead the service. Light refreshments will be available.
If you are unable to join us on Tuesday, Dominic’s friends and family at the Interact Center for the Visual & Performing Arts will be hosting another celebration of his life in an inclusive and festive gathering open to all who knew him at a future date. Watch this space and social media for updates and details.
Dominic will be buried next to his mother and father during a private service for family at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Blooming Prairie, MN, on the morning of Tuesday, May 16th.
Special thanks to everyone on the ICU and palliative care teams at Hennepin County Medical Center. Dominic received such loving care from his Team Dominic.
Dominic would appreciate any memorials to be made to the Interact Center at https://gallery.interactcenterarts.org/pages/our-story .
Events
Dominic’s Sendoff
Tuesday, May 16 , 2023
Open House - 12:30-2 PM Sendoff Service - 2 PM
