Leaders We Lost in 2023: Zachary G. Esparza

Editor’s note: As part of a year-in-review series, the Southeast Missourian is remembering some of the notable community leaders or public servants who died in 2023.

Zachary Esparza

A helicopter crash took the life of Jackson resident Zachary G. Esparza on April 17.

Esparza was a chief warrant officer 2 in the U.S. Army. He was one of nine killed when two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was one of the four pilots operating the two Black Hawks.

Esparza attended Southeast Missouri State University. He was given the nickname "Pigwidgeon" after the name of an owl in the Harry Potter series, of which he was a big fan.

He also had quite a sense of humor. In 2018, according to reporting in the Springfield News Leader, he mailed out Christmas cards dressed as National Lampoon's character Uncle Eddie from the "Vacation" series of movies.

Among the many medals awarded to Esparza during his time in the Army were the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATO medal.

"Zac lived his life to the fullest while defending his country and traveling the world. He passed away while doing what he loved most, flying his aircrafts," his sister, Rebecca Esparza, posted to Facebook. "Let's celebrate the light that Zac brought into our lives and learn to live how Zac lived — to its fullest."