Kenneth Eugene Zirker
Kenneth Eugene Zirker, 88, died April 14, 2010, at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, Idaho, of pulmonary complications.
Ken was born November 8, 1921, the oldest child of John and Pearl Zirker, in Myton, Utah. He grew up on a farm in Arcadia, Utah. He attended Myton Elementary School and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1940. He attended Utah Agricultural College (Utah State University) from 1940 to 1942. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1942 and served in the Pacific as an Amphibious Tank Operations Instructor. He returned home in 1946 and married his high school sweetheart, Leona Sagers Shields, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Ken graduated in 1947 from Utah State University with a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Agriculture. Ken and Leona lived in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Washington during the next six years. In 1953, they settled in central Washington, where they lived for the next 40 years. Along with farming, Ken taught high school for fourteen years and served as principal for fourteen more in the Warden School District. Following his retirement, the couple moved to Moscow, Idaho to live closer to family.
Ken was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held numerous callings in the LDS church, including Bishop and Executive Secretary to the Regional Representative. Ken and Leona served two missions for the LDS church, one in Kentucky from 1984 to 1986 and the other at the Salt Lake Family History Library from 1992 to 1993. They also served as temple workers at the Seattle and Spokane LDS Temples. Leona passed away in 2000.
Survivors include two sons, Eugene (Janice) Zirker of Dubuque, Iowa and Kent (Martha) Zirker of Moscow; two daughters, Brenda (Charles) Richards of Moscow and Tami Zirker of Roosevelt, Utah; 21 grandchildren, and soon to be 52 great-grand children. His wife, Leona, his parents, his sister Bonnie DeGraff and his brother, Ronald Zirker, preceded him in death.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund or Gritman Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, April 19, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center, 1657 South Blaine in Moscow. Bishop Wynn Mosman will officiate at the service. A viewing will be held preceding the services. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 21, at the Roosevelt Memorial Park in Roosevelt, Utah, with military honors.
Arrangements are being provided by Short’s Funeral chapel, Moscow, and online condolences may be left at www.shortsfuneralchapel.net. Hullinger Mortuary will oversee the graveside service in Roosevelt.