Frederick James Zielke was born July 31, 1925 in Centralia, Wash., to Fredrick Charles Zielke and Alice Marie Rennie Zielke. His family immigrated from Prussia, West Germany to Lena, Wisc. They left Wisconsin for Idaho and then to Washington.
When Fred was an infant, his father took a job in Portland working on the extra board for the Union Pacific Railroad. When Fred was 6, the family moved to Ione for his father to begin work as an agent-telegrapher for the railroad. Having a father as a railroad ticket agent meant numerous moves during his school years.
In 1945, Fred shipped out on the MS Sloterdyk for the Admiralty Islands and returned stateside on March 17, 1946 to the beautiful Wallowa Mountains. Fred and Verla Jean were married on June 16, 1946 at the First Christian Church in Wallowa. Their union lasted 67 years.
Fred enrolled at Multnomah Junior College in Portland and transferred to Oregon State University after two years majoring in industrial arts and minored in math, graduating in 1952 with a bachelor of arts degree. While attending college full-time Fred, not one to sit idle, held several part-time jobs such as a soda jerk, chicken slaughter house worker, and a blackberry picker until his fingers were stained purple and his wife and baby daughter were afraid of him. Fred began his teaching career in the fall of 1952 for the Hermiston School District at Armand Larive Junior High, where he taught wood shop, metals, plastics, and drafting for thirty-three years. Fred pursued a master’s degree at Eastern Oregon College while teaching full time and commuting to La Grande weekly for an entire year earning his MA in education.
During Fred’s tenure at Armand Larive, he was instrumental in starting and developing the wrestling program, coaching for several decades and enjoying numerous winning seasons. He truly loved all sports, adding football and basketball to his long list of favorites. He was an exceptional arm chair quarterback for the Hermiston Bulldogs along with love for bowling, golf, fishing, hunting, skating, bike riding, aerobic exercise (which he invented before Jack LaLane was famous). Fred’s children never needed an alarm clock. They awoke every morning to the sound of jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, chin ups and curl ups. He was an exercise nut who rode his bike five miles to the gym to exercise for an hour every day of the week except Sunday, which truly belonged to church and God. For Fred’s 70th birthday, he requested and received a pair of in-line roller blades of which he used once, to the great relief of his family.
Fred and Verla loved to travel with their children; each summer was a new adventure, from Canada to Mexico, visiting all national parks in the Pacific Northwest. His kids believe they were the only family to actually camp while visiting Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. If there was a FREE attraction, it was a guarantee they would see it, from a giant ball of string, to a tuna fish factory. After retirement, Fred and Verla Jean enjoyed traveling by motor home from Hermiston to Maine and all points in between. A few travel highlights were their trips to Hawaii, the Stern Wheeler cruise down the Columbia River, an inside passage cruise to Alaska, and an Eastern seaboard road trip, just to name a few.
Fred was a life-long member of the First Christian Church in Hermiston, serving as an elder, deacon, trustee, chairman of the board and numerous other positions.
He was an eternal optimist who saw the best in everyone, touching and changing the lives of many who crossed his path. His last ministry was at Hermiston Terrace where he shared his love of God in sweet and mysterious ways, often shrouded by the effects of Alzheimer’s. In return, he received constant love and care from the kind actions of the devoted staff, who loved Fred dearly. Even as his memory faded, he never lost sight of his God, who stayed by his side every moment of his journey. He instilled in his family honesty, compassion, forgiveness, values, and morals. Fred peacefully entered Heaven March 23, 2013. He set a perfect example of living a faith-filled life for his children and grandchildren.
He will be greatly missed by his loving wife, Verla Jean Scott Zielke; children, Frances and husband Mike Hayden of LaGrande, Jerelyn and husband Bruce Russell of Lincoln City, Jennafred and husband Scott Kellstrom of Gresham, Scott and wife Kelly Zielke of Hermiston; grandchildren, Chelsee Hayden Rohan (Sean), Levi Hayden (Joanna), Rod Russell (Bre), Dana Russell Johnson (Michael), Casey Russell (Jacki), Lyndsee Kellstrom Wunn (Geoffrey), Annie Kellstrom (Jesse Davidson), Samantha Zielke Faro (Brian), Herschel Zielke (Crystal), Cate Zielke; and 23 great-grandchildren.
Fred was preceded in death by his mother, Alice Rennie Zielke and father, Fredrick Charles Zielke; and an infant brother.
One of our Father’s favorite quotes was “A little Elmer’s glue and a few dowel joints will fix that right up”
We will miss you every day Dad and Grandpa.
A funeral service will be held at First Christian Church in Hermiston Friday, March 29 at 1 p.m. with military honors and interment to follow at the Hermiston Cemetery.
Contributions in Fred’s memory may be made to Habitat for Humanity.
Please sign the condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
