Sylvester "Silver" Ziebarth, 89, of Scranton, ND, passed away on September 13, 2022 at the Fallon County Medical Complex in Baker, MT.

Funeral Services for Silver will be on Monday, September 19, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bowman Methodist Church.  Pastor Ray Sherwood will officiate with burial to follow in the Scranton Cemetery.  There will be a Family and Friends Services on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bowman Methodist Church.  Visitation for Silver will be on Sunday from 12-5 at the Funeral Home Chapel and from 6-9 at the Methodist Church.

Services will be live-streamed on the Bowman Methodist Church Facebook page.

Sylvester (Silver) Arthur Ziebarth, born December 31, 1932 passed into eternity with Jesus on September 13, 2022.  Silver was born to Julius and Magdalena Ziebarth on the family farm south of Scranton, ND as the 11th of 12 children.  Silver's early life on the farm taught him the values of faith, family, patriotism, and hard work that he carried his whole life.

Silver graduated from Scranton High School after being active in basketball, track, and church.  He attended one year at Wartburg College in Iowa where he wrestled.   He was then called back to the family farm to begin his life in farming and dairy.  Silver courted Carol Ann Brown, the next-farm neighbor girl, while advising for Luther League.  Carol and Silver married on October 6, 1957, starting a 65-year journey of God-honoring love and commitment.

Silver and Carol quickly began their family of five children and were long time active members of Peace Lutheran Church, serving as Sunday School teachers, choir members, and church council. Silver also served on the Scranton School Board and refereed basketball locally. They also hosted a steady stream of nephews and nieces at the family farm, providing farm experiences and family bonding that produced life-long relationships.

Silver was an avid forward-thinking entrepreneur, introducing the region to many novel ideas: round balers, artificial insemination of cattle and horses, exotic cattle breeds, embryo transplants, and many inventions on the farm. He was an accomplished self-taught welder, mechanic and machinist that was able to repair any piece of equipment. He sold Standard Feeds throughout the area which introduced him to many farmers and ranchers.  It seemed wherever he went, he made friends and business associates who never forgot him.  In the late 1960s, Silver became interested in Simmental cattle and began a 30-year adventure of importing the breed from Europe and Canada, and improving the breed in the United States.  He was very active in the American Simmental Association and formed partnerships with many of the top breeders. He also imported and bred Chianina, Gelbvieh, Limousine, Maine-Anjou, and other exotic breeds, and even exported Simmental calves to Venezuela.

Silver and Carol overcame heartbreak and disappointment as well: the death of Billy Jarnecke to a farm accident and the loss of the family farm in the late 1980's.  They re-established their lives near Laurel, Montana in 1994, operating a small construction company in the Rim Rock Vista Ranch development.  Silver and Carol were members of Hope Fellowship in Laurel. With their family grown, Silver and Carol began their 20-year personal ministries through Prison Ministry and Via De Cristo.  Silver and Carol ministered to inmates at the Deer Lodge State Prison and Montana Women's Prison, introducing seekers to the Lord and mentoring them back into the world after their release. Silver recognized that God is a forgiving God and believed every soul deserved another chance to be redeemed. They also served as team leaders and directors in Via De Cristo, inviting many friends into a deeper faith and service to the Lord.

Silver's hobbies in later life were family functions and grand-children's activities, traveling to visit friends, antique tractor restoration, NDSU football, and his beloved Haflinger draft horses.  Silver's greatest joy in life was his family, consisting of five children, 15 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and many more to come! As a family we are grieved by his passingbut will be forever blessed by this man of great love, compassion and faith, that pointed each of us to our own relationship with Christ.  We look forward to the Ziebarth reunion with him in heaven.

Silver was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Bernalda, Zelda, Dennis, Eugenie, Erna, Armin, Carl, Edith; and his great-grandson Logan Fried. He is survived by his loving wife Carol (Brown); siblings Esther Meszaros, Lloyd Ziebarth, and Donna Norman; children Nola (Roy) Horvey, Paula (Steve) Kildahl, Mona (Laverne) Teske, Lance (Tracy) Ziebarth, and Amy (Jesse) Smyle, as well as his grand and great-grandchildren, who will miss Grandpa Z terribly.  The family wishes to extend a special thanks to the staff at the Fallon County Medical Center for their compassionate care and comfort for Silver, Carol and his family.