Francis James Zaiontz, 84, of Columbus, MS passed away Monday, August 3, 2020, at his residence.

A funeral service will be Friday, August 7, 2020 at Annunciation Catholic Church, Columbus,MS at 11:00 AM with Father Jeffery Waldrep officiating. interment will be in Salem Primitive Baptist Cemetery, Gordo, AL with Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS directing.

Mr. Zaiontz was born on February 12, 1936, in Yorktown, TX to the late Mathilda Baingo Zaiontz and Joseph Zaiontz. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, participated in Tootsie Roll Drive Pancake Breakfast, and his favorite was the blood drive. Mr. Zaiontz enjoyed tinkering on anything, fishing, enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune, doing puzzle books, and getting scratch-offs. He worked at U.T. for 25 years as a material handler. In addition to his parents, Mr. Zaiontz is preceded in death by his wife- Agnes Zaiontz.

Mr. Zaiontz is survived by his sons- Bobby (Genise) Zaiontz of Columbus, MS and Frank (Heather) Zaiontz of Byhalia, MS; daughter- Cindy DeFelice of Columbus, MS; grandchildren- Patricia DeFelice, Emily DeFelice, and Madeline Zaiontz; siblings- Rita Renault, Evelyn Matejk, Clara Kaiser, Bernadette Spies, Sonny Zaiontz, Buddy Zaiontz of Yorktown, TX, and A.C. Zaiontz of Tuscaloosa, AL

Pallbearers will be Joe Haftek, Mickey Walker, Joe Fondren, Frank Zaiontz, Jr., Robbie Ridgley, and David Doughty. Honorary pallbearers will be the Knights of Columbus.

Memorials may be made to The Agnes Zaiontz Tenn-Tom Transportation Museum,  the Columbus Lowndes Humane Society, or the Knights of Columbus.