Richard H. (Dick) Zahn GM2
Served aboard '59-'61
https://www.kerntzfuneralhome.com/obituary/RICHARDDICK-ZAHN
Obituary
Richard H (Dick) Zahn, 88, of Ely, passed
away on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at St. Lukes Hospital in Duluth.
Dick was born October 19, 1933 in Lac Qui
Parle County Minnesota to John and Vida (La Tourelle) Zahn.
Dick attended Boyd, Madison, and country
schools. He graduated from Vermilion Community College in 1976 with AA and AAS
degrees.
Dick joined the Minnesota Nation Guard at
Madison, MN in July 1950. In January 1951 the Minnesota Guard was activated for
the Korean War. His division, 47th Infantry, was sent to Camp Rucker, Alabama In
July 1951 Dick was sent to Korea with the C Btry 31st FA Bat. 7th Infantry
Division. He returned to the states in July 1952 and was released from active
duty.
Dick worked in Chicago for General Retail
Corporation as an assistant manager of Hardy Shoe store on Chicago’s south side.
In July 1953 he joined the U.S. Navy and
medically retired in April 1972 as a Chief Gunners Mate with over 21 years of
service. Dick was a Tin Can Sailor, he served on five different destroyers, with
deployments to England, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and the Persian Gulf with the
sixth fleet. His last three ships were in the Pacific 7th fleet with tours in
the Straits of Formosa, Japan, Viet Nam, and off the coast of Korea when Pueblo
was taken.
He attended Navy schools for the weapon
systems he worked on as a Gunners Mate also for his role in leadership. He had
two tours of shore duty at the Naval Reserve Training Center as an Instructor
Chief of the Center and Recruiter for the Naval Reserve.
After his retirement from the Navy, he worked
for the U.S. EPA on the Shagawa Lake Restoration Project in Ely, MN as the
operator supervisor. He then worked for Inland Steel at the Minorca Mine for 10
years in Virginia, MN as a millwright. Next he took a position with Layton
International as a Maintenance Specialist and Instructor in maintenance and
operations of various types of processes for water treatment. He held an
Oklahoma B certification in both water and wastewater and a Texas A
certification in wastewater. He later worked for San Antonio College as the
primary instructor for all phases of wastewater treatment and authored its
curriculum. Dick also co-authored the chapter on Biological Rotating
Contractors for the Texas Wastewater Manual.
Dick taught Driver’s Education for six years
in Ely, Babbitt, and Tower for Range Drivers Training. He had over 650 students
and loved every minute of it.
He was a lifetime member of the American
Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled Veterans, Fleet Reserve Association,
Tin Can Sailors, 40 and Eight, and the NRA. Dick was the 8th District Commander,
Department of Minnesota, for the VFW and the American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his parents,
brothers, Valoris and Desmond, sister Yvonne, his wife Joanne and granddaughter
Hannah Jo.
Dick is survived by his daughters Pamela
(Grant) Netzer and Wendy Jo (Mike) Sibley, grandchildren, Silas (Heather)
Simone, Athena (Alex) Thomsen, Chrissy (Aric) Schumacher, Nathan Baseman, and
Chantal Netzer. Great grandchildren Hailey and Allison Bandelow, Margaret, Ruth,
and Hattie Simone, and Hazel Jo and Michael Demel
Funeral services will be at LedgeRock
Community Church, on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, with visitation at 11:00 and
service at noon.
Dick and Joanne’s ashes will be interned at
the Ely Veteran’s Cemetery in Ely, MN at a later date.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to
Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.
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