Richard G. Zets

He was born in Sharon, PA on September 6, 1944, the son of the late Joseph A. and Mary (Banjak) Zets.

Richard attended Slippery Rock State College, PA and graduated in 1967 with a BS in Biology/ Education. While there, he met his beloved wife, and they were married in 1965. He began teaching in West Valley, NY (South of Buffalo) in 1967. In 1969, he took another job about 30 miles to the West in Forestville. Small school, and at one time or the other he ended up teaching all the sciences 7-12, except for chemistry and physics. He continued his education at Buffalo State College and ended up with a MS in Biology/Education.

Richard retired from teaching in 2000 after a total of 33 years and was active in The Northern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union when it was small. First as assistant treasurer then in 1984, as treasurer/manager. A position he held until he retired at age 62. He produced three daughters, all of whom are married and gainfully employed. The youngest with two sons is about 2 miles away, the oldest in NJ with no children, and the middle one in Texas, North of Dallas, also with two children, a boy and a girl.

In 1971, Richard purchased 66 acres and an old farmhouse (1845). A later addition of land gave him a total of 100 acres. It has a few acres of grapes which are leased out, and yes, he made wine. Over the years he forested the property with 12,000 evergreen trees. One of his pleasures in life was watching them grow.

Richard’s two great loves were sailing, he had a 24′ Bayliner Buccaneer, and camping with a 32′ travel trailer. He hauled both with his prized custom Chevy diesel van. He kept the boat on Kinzua Reservoir, and usually spent 25-35 nights a season on board. The boat has been on Lakes Superior, Erie and Huron’s Georgian Bay (The North Channel). He also belonged to the Trailer Sailers of North America.

Richard drove over 62,000 miles hauling the trailer. He began camping in 1966 with a 9×9 umbrella tent and the most primitive equipment, then graduated to tent trailers, and moved away from camping when sailing attracted him. In 1998, with retirement looming on the horizon, he decided to return to camping, since the boating season was too short in Western New York.

In Richard’s leisure time he took care of the farm, built wooden ship models, worked on his HO railroad layout, and read historical books and suspenseful fiction novels. He was an avid nature and family photographer and took over 16,000 pre-digital “slides” and continued with thousands of digital photos. He loved his ferrets. Oliver, Lewis, Babel and Jax. He was deeply cherished and loved by his family and the ferret community.

Survivors include his wife Patricia E. (Geyer) Zets of Forestville, whom he married on September 4, 1965, in Sharon, PA, three daughters, Lorelei N. (David) Johnston, of Mt. Laurel, NJ; Lynette D. Blodgett, of Hickory Creek, TX; Melissa A. (Jason) Hooper, of Perrysburg; a sister, Marian Benka, of Thunder Bay, Ontario; a brother, Robert (Jackie) Zets, of Grovetown, GA. Also surviving are four grandchildren; Tristan E. Blodgett, Garrett W. Blodgett, Braedon A. Sidor and Noah C. Sidor. Besides his parents he was predeceased by a granddaughter Liljana M. Sidor.

The family suggests memorials may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 4043 Maple Road, Suite 105, Amherst, NY 14226.

Arrangements are by Riles & Woolley Funeral Home, Forestville. To post condolences or memories go to www.rilesandwoolleyfuneral home.com.