Zackerias Aaron Cruz -- Austin

AUSTIN -- The funeral for Zackerias Aaron Cruz, 17, of Sioux Falls, S.D., grandson of Elaine Webber (Harvey) Fjerstad of Austin, will be 11 a.m. Saturday in Northwest Church of Christ in Austin, with the Rev. David DeFor officiating. Burial will be in Cedar City Cemetery in Austin.

Zacherias died Monday (May 22, 2000) in Sioux Falls. He was born Nov. 22, 1982, in Albert Lea. He lived in Ipswich and Aberdeen S.D., where he attended grade school. In 1991, he moved to Sioux Falls with his family and was in 10th grade at Empire Baptist Academy. He was involved in the yearbook and enjoyed Spanish classes. He and his father began Zacs Lawn Service in 1996. He began working at J.C. Penney in 1998 and worked in a dozen different departments. He was a past member of the Civil Air Patrol and was selected to attend Aviation Challenge, a week-long class simulating space travel. He was a charter member of the Young Marines. He had aspirations of becoming a Marine Corps chaplain.

Survivors include his parents, Alfredo and Trudie Cruz of Sioux Falls; maternal grandmother, Elaine Webber (Harvey) Fjerstad of Austin; paternal grandmother, Gregoria Cruz of Albert Lea; four brothers, Jeff (Camella) of Robbinsdale, Minn., Scott (Abby) of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Jeff Webber of Plymouth, Minn., and Randy of Albert Lea; and four sisters, Melissa Cruz of Robbinsdale, Stephanie (Tony) Omas of Faribault, Minn., Rachel Cruz of Fridley, Minn., and Tuppence Cruz of Sioux Falls. His grandfathers preceded him in death.

Friends may call from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary and on Saturday, one hour before the service at the church.