The Rev. John W. Zielasko, Winona Lake, went home to be with his Lord and Savior at 6:57 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, at his residence at the age of 96.
He was born May 7, 1921, in Minersville, Pa., to John L. Zielasko and Marfell Warlow Zielasko. On July 22, 1944, he married F. Jean Beveridge Zielasko, who passed away on Nov. 12, 2013. They shared 69 years of marriage together.
John served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and was honorably discharged in 1945. He earned his B.S. degree from Millersville, Pa., and his B.D. from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake. In 1979 he also earned his Master’s from Grace Theological Seminary.
From 1952 to 1966, he, along with his wife and family served as missionaries in Brazil under the Grace Brethren Missions. John also served as the general director of the Grace Brethren Foreign Missionary Society from 1966 to 1985. He was a member of the American Legion Post 253, North Webster, and a longtime member of Lakeland Grace Brethren Church of Warsaw. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his four children: John R. (wife Sharon W.) Zielasko, Hemet, Calif.; Ann L. (husband H. James) Tallman, South Bend; James M. (wife Terri L.) Zielasko, Winona Lake; and Janet S. (husband Dr. Thomas L.) Ryerson, Corona, Calif.
John also leaves behind 14 grandchildren: Corrine A. Tallman, Clinton J. (wife Lenka) Tallman, Chad M. (wife Anastasia) Tallman, Tyler J. (wife Kari B.) Zielasko, Christopher J. (wife Crystal L.) Zielasko, J. Douglas (wife Ladeen L.) Zielasko, Kendra M. (husband Sean A.) Smith, Evan G. (wife Kathryn L.) Ryerson, Elyssa F. (husband Andrew) Harootian, Elena S. (husband Jonathan) Le, Elliot J. (wife Jessica) Ryerson, James R. (wife Tiffany) Hatch, Jeffrey D. (wife Sel) Hatch, and Jerod R. (wife Rachael) Hatch.
He is survived as well by 22 great-grandchildren: Joshua, Suzie, Isaac, Jackson, Layla, Ryland, Emery, Logan, Glenn, Jerod, Lucy, Liam, Jashawn, Jada, Mia, Jordon, Evžen, Žofie, Valerie, Elijah, Elana and Beckett. Other survivors include his brother, Ned Zielasko, Ephrata, Pa.; and his sister Jeanette Gauntlet, York, Pa.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and daughter-in-law Suzan M. Goodman Zielasko.
His funeral service will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, and officiated by Dr. Russell E. Simpson. Burial will follow with a graveside service at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw. There will be visitation prior to the service on Tuesday, Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home.
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Memorials to Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196 and would be appreciated by the family; or Lakeland Grace Brethren Church, 2538 S. County Farm Road, Warsaw, IN 46580.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.
