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  The year was 1928. The Dutch immigrants Jake and Lutske Zilverberg  moved their family of four sons and one daughter to northern Hyde County, South Dakota. They had lived several different places in southeastern South Dakota before settling permanently 13 miles north of Holabird on the prairie. In those days fences were few and far between. Cattle and horses both roamed at will. Sometimes Lutske would flap her apron to scare away bands of horses who ran through her yard.

  John Zilverberg, the second son, was a teenager at this time. He and his family worked hard on the ranch. In 1940 John purchased three Hereford heifers. Ranching was put on hold, however, during his stint in the Marines during World War II. In 1945 after his marriage to Dorothy Boehmer and his discharge, he started ranching in earnest and Bar JZ Ranches began.

   Through the 50's and 60's John raised Polled Herefords and started having production sales, first at the local auction barn and later in his own sale barn on the south ranch. Then in 1970 Limousin cattle were also introduced into the Bar JZ herd. Bar JZ is one of the original 100 members of the North American Limousin Foundation.  Today Bar JZ is one of only 3 of the original 100 founding members that is still actively raising Limousin cattle. April 21, 2009 will be the 58th Annual Production Sale of Polled Hereford, Limousin, and Lim-Flex bulls.

  The third and fourth generations of Zilverbergs (Don, Peg & Seth) live on the home place and continue the Bar JZ tradition of raising Polled Hereford and Limousin cattle. Cody & Kevin both lend their computer expertise from a distance to keep the ranch technology up to date. Visitors are always welcome to view the cattle, and the coffee pot is always on.
   
                                                   
    Left: Dorothy and John with their growing family in 1948.
    Above: 1994 John was inducted in the Polled Hereford Hall of Fame. 

Dorothy Zilverberg, 87, of Highmore, passed away Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at the Highmore Healthcare Center.

Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 6, 2008 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Highmore with Father Kevin Zilverberg officiating. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery, Highmore, directed by Luze Funeral Home of Highmore.  Visitation was held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, December 5, 2008 with a 7:00 p.m. wake service at the church.

Dorothy Catherine Boehmer was born February 23, 1921 in Hughes County to August and Elizabeth (Schmidt) Boehmer. After graduating from high school in Harrold, SD she went on to Notre Dame Junior College in Mitchell, SD where she earned a teaching certificate. During her teaching career, she taught at Grey Goose, Canning, and south of Harrold. She then met John Zilverberg and they married February 17, 1945 in Highmore during military leave while John was in the Marines. Military service took them to Klamath Falls, Oregon where she continued to teach 6th grade. The couple was transferred to San Francisco until the war ended October, 1945.

After the war, John and Dorothy moved to their ranch north of Holabird where they started a family of four children. Dorothy was a faithful, loving partner and wife for 63 years. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and would do anything for them. She also loved birds, flowers, traveling and being an active volunteer. Her volunteer activities included holding state office with SD Extension Homemakers and serving on the state and county boards. She held local offices in Cattlewomen, Catholic Daughters, Altar Society, Historical Society and belonged to the Retired Teachers Organization. In 1976 she represented Hyde County as Mother of the Year in the state competition. In 2003 she was honored to be inducted into the South Dakota 4-H Hall of Fame for 20 years of service as a 4-H leader. In 1989 John and Dorothy retired from the ranch and moved to Highmore.

Dorothy is survived by her husband, John Zilverberg, two daughters and two sons, Marcia (Mike) Wiedebush of Aberdeen, Donald (Peg) Zilverberg of Holabird, Karen (Ray) Geditz of Ipswich, and Gary (April) Zilverberg of Holabird, 12 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, and a sister, Marcella Auch.

She was preceded in death by her parents, twin brothers who died at birth, a brother Vincent Bollweg, and a sister Evelyn Reding.

Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Dorothy's arrangements.

PRIESTS
Father Kevin Zilverberg
Father Paul Neremparamphil

CASKETBEARERS
"Grandsons"
Shayne Geditz
Cody Zilverberg
Dustin Geditz
Jason Clark
Seth Zilverberg
Tyler Geditz
Zane Zilverberg

HONORARY CASKETBEARERS
 "Granddaughters"
Allyson
Shantil
Shamra
Andrea
Tanegai
Historical Society

PLACING OF THE PALL
 Marcia, Donald, Karen & Gary

LECTOR
Cody Zilverberg
Seth Zilverberg

ALTAR SERVERS
Bridget Nemec
Samantha Ravnaas

ORGANIST
Katherine Hieb

SOLOIST
Victor Nemec"Ava Maria"

CHOIRS
St. Mary's Church
St. John's Church

SELECTIONS
"The King of Love My Shepherd Is"
"Amazing Grace"
"Now Thank We All Our God"