Richard "Dick" Kenneth Zickler

Nov. 7, 1915 — July 19, 2006

Richard "Dick" Kenneth Zickler of John Day died July 19 at Blue Mountain Nursing Home. He was 90.

A funeral service was held July 21 at Driskill Memorial Chapel, with Elder Marlyn Hoffman officiating. Interment was at Canyon City Cemetery.

Zickler was born Nov. 7, 1915 on the family's wheat ranch, about five miles from Wheeler, to William and Clara (Jones) Zickler. He spent his early years on a small ranch in Nepel, now Moses Lake. He had many memories and stories from his childhood. He told of swimming across Moses Lake in the summer and ice-skating to school in the winter. He attended Moses Lake and then went to school at College Place. He had plans of becoming a doctor. He got an early start in the construction business, working with his dad, while attending high school. He took great pride in having finished concrete, at night, on the face of Grand Coulee Dam. He spent several years working for road construction companies throughout Oregon and loved working with large machinery.

Zickler was drafted and served in Europe during WWII. He was an officer in the Army and Air Force and was at the landing of Normandy. He was very patriotic and proud to have served his country.

After the war, he joined his father in John Day, where he married Lorraine Keerins of Izee. They had three daughters. He and his father formed Zickler Construction Company, building many houses and businesses in the area. Later they added a backhoe service to the business. Zickler took credit for setting most of the power poles in Grant County.

His special interests were collecting rocks, gardening and telling stories from his past. Zickler loved the John Day area and knew its history well.

He is survived by his daughter Barbara Smutz and her husband Spark of La Grande, Ore.; daughter, Terri Zickler Bond of North Bend; daughter, Carla Lemons and her husband Kim of Mt. Vernon; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Virginia; his wife Lorraine; his son-in-law Brian Bond; and his great-grandson Connar Polfer.

Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Mountain Home Health through Driskill Memorial Chapel.