Jerry Anton Zelinka died peacefully, with his wife by his side, on Dec. 22 at the Bentley Care Center, Naples, Fl. He was 82.
Jerry Zelinka, 84, passed away on Dec. 22. His funeral is scheduled for Jan. 7.
Born in Tulsa, Okla. on March 18, 1934, he attended Will Rogers High School and served with the U.S. Air Force, mostly in Japan as an intelligence specialist.
After returning from the service, he attended Tulsa University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Later he participated in Norwich University’s master degree program.
Jerry worked as a technical illustrator for American Airlines and as a technical writer in the oil and aviation industries. He was also an instructor at Tulsa Junior College. In retirement, he enjoyed painting, exhibiting his art in local shows and he published a novel, “How to Fall Off a Cliff.”
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— This obituary previously was published by the Naples Daily News.
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He was president of the Tulsa Coin Club and the Darien Stamp Club. In Florida he was active in Masonic programs as a member of the Fort Myers Beach Blue Lodge, the Naples Scottish Rite Club and the Valley of Ft. Myers Scottish Rite.
He is survived by his wife Suzanne of Naples, his sister Margaret Woods of Broken Arrow, Okla., 3 step-children: Douglas Smith (Lisa) of Portland, Maine, Lisa Smith (Michael Austin) of Santa Fe, N.M. and Eric Smith (Maray) of Pinecrest, Fl., as well as three step-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister Sandy.
Services will be held at 11 a.m, Saturday, Jan. 7 at the Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd., Naples, Fl.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Masonic Home of Florida, 3201 1st Street NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33704 or to the Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, 1225 Piper Blvd., Naples, FL34110.