The 84-year adventure of Delbert "Del" Martin Zambon drew to a close on February 15, 2023. Born on July 10, 1938, Del was the youngest child of the late Clemente and Rina (Bonato) Zambon of Lead, South Dakota. His family loved the Black Hills, and Del often recounted his mother's mantra that they should leave the hills cleaner than they found them, not a common sentiment almost 100 years ago but one Del never forgot.

After graduating from Lead High School, Del went to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where he studied mechanical engineering. For a midterm exam, he was supposed to design a carburetor. Instead, he designed an electric car that wouldn't need a carburetor. Not surprisingly, he graduated with honors in 1960.

He was also in the ROTC in college and was a veteran of the U.S. Army, honorably discharged as a Captain in 1968.

After college, as he would tell the story, he only had enough money to have three resumes typed. He mailed them to the first three companies on his alphabetical list. Bechtel received one of those resumes. Del spent the next 38 years with Bechtel International, filling many roles including Vice President and Business Development Manager for the Pacific Rim. He worked abroad for 11 of those years, and traveled on business trips that took him around the world.

Before he embarked on this adventure, in 1962, he made sure to marry his then girlfriend of 6 years Jean Gilbertson, and they spent the next 60 (almost 61) years navigating the globe and the course of their lives together. They moved 16 times during their marriage, making their home in Puerto Rico, Canada, Singapore, and all over the United States. Del often credited Jean for much of his success. Even in the hospital during his last year, he told the nurses that his sister was a great beauty and his brother married a great beauty, but Jean is the prettiest one.

Del and Jean raised two children: Teri who is married to David True and lives in North Carolina, and Scott who is married to Shawn and lives in California with their children Ethan Zambon and Alexis Gentile. Del loved to visit family and travel with family. He was always eager to experience the flavor of different cultures -- figuratively and literally. He could recount local delicacies with gusto! Even if he fumbled the language, his respect and enthusiasm for others was always apparent, and he was well received and made friends wherever he went.

After they retired, Del and Jean also enjoyed traveling with Del's brother Clem and his wife Marion and Del's sister Rose and her husband Jim Kovacevich. It was the perfect blend for him of family and exploration. Del's sister Irene died before he retired, but they visited each other in California and Puerto Rico. His mother and brother visited Puerto Rico too, and Del loved taking the family and friends out to "Zambon's Island" in his boat.

With retirement came the opportunity for Del and Jean to build their dream home "on a hill" as Del always wanted. They chose to retire in South Dakota to be near family and built their home just down the street from Del's sister Rose in Whitewood. Del designed the home, and he told the architects on the project that he was tired of tiny bathrooms. He said he wanted to be able to lay on the floor and spin around. The architects made sure to include stick figures spinning on the floor in their drawings! Like their life, Jean and Del incorporated elements from around the world in their home: granite from Norway, floor tile from Italy, bamboo floors from Vietnam, and of course they filled it with the treasures that they had brought back with them from their global travels. They loved to share their home, and hosted many, many parties. Their neighbors quickly became family.

Teri and Scott would like to thank their parents' many wonderful neighbors and friends who have gone above and beyond all expectations to help Jean and Del through this difficult year. It is a tribute to the compassion and generosity of this community that there are too many to list.

In addition to his wife, children, grandchildren, and sister-in-law Marion, Del leaves many nieces and nephews, dear friends, and his beloved dog, Duke. He is greeted in the next life by his parents, siblings, and his cherished pets, Lassie, Princess, and Duchess.

Del treated his pets like royalty. In lieu of flowers please consider a gift to the SPCA, local animal shelter, or environmental charity of your choice.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood.  The service will be live streamed at www.immanuellutheranwhitewoodsd.com .