Joseph (Joe) Zeman was born on February 6, 1914 near Outlook, Saskatchewan to Joseph and Sophie (Voytilla) Zeman. He had two siblings: Frank and Alice. Zeman graduated from Kenaston High School in 1932 and attended Outlook College. He attended Saskatoon Normal School from 1933 to 1934 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture (1944) and a Bachelor of Education degree (1969) from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.
Zeman worked as an agricultural economist for the federal Department of Agriculture, Economics Division in Saskatoon from 1944 until his retirement in 1967. He then worked as a teacher part-time until 1976.
Zeman was involved with numerous sport and recreation organizations at local, provincial and national level during his lifetime. He served those organizations as a coach, manager, administrator and executive member and was a founding member of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association; the Saskatchewan Minor Baseball Association and the Saskatchewan Junior Baseball Association. Zeman served as a director for numerous organizations, including the Saskatchewan Baseball Association (1978-1980); the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association (1964-1975); the Saskatoon Parks and Recreation Board; Sask Sport (1973-1975, 1977-1980); the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (1977-1980) and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1973-1980). Zeman coached and managed numerous baseball and hockey teams, including the Canadian baseball team that participated in the 1967 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Zeman's hobbies and interests centered around genealogy and history. Zeman conducted research for the 1983 book "Hockey Heritage: 88 Years of Puck-chasing in Saskatchewan", written by his daughter, Brenda Zeman. He also worked on a history of the Slovak people in Saskatchewan with his daughter in the mid 1980s.
Zeman was the recipient of many honours and awards, including the Saskatoon Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award (1961); the Saskatoon Kinsmen Sportsman of the Year Award (1964); and the Award of Merit from the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (1980). He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1982); the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame (1986); and the University of Saskatchewan Huskie Athletics Wall of Fame (1986). Zeman was named an honorary life member in numerous organizations, including the Saskatchewan Agricultural Graduates Association; the Saskatchewan Baseball Association; the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association; and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. Zeman Court and Zeman Crescent in Saskatoon were named in his honour.
Zeman married Jessie Mary Shewan on October 24, 1941. They had five children: Gary; Dale; Brenda; Kevan and John Allan (died in infancy). Jessie Zeman died on November 17, 2001.
Joseph Zeman died in Saskatoon on July 2, 2009.