John Willard Zody, Lt. Col. United States Marine Corps, Retired, 76, passed away on October 14, 2012, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, October 18, 2012, at 10:00 AM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama. Interment will follow at National Cemetery in rural Vining. Visitation will be held Wednesday, October 17, 2012 from 5-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home.
John Willard Zody was born in Tama County on September 30, 1936, the son of Richard J. and Libby L. (Melsa) Zody.
John graduated from Toledo High School in May 1954, and graduated from DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago, Illinois.
On September 5, 1970, he was united in marriage to Janet Faust in Stuart, Iowa.
John retired as Lt. Colonel from the United States Marine Corps Service, having served both in the reserve at the Naval Air Station in Grand Prairie, Texas, and on active duty at the Naval Air Station in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
For several years from the 60s to the early 70s, John worked for Southern Airways as a helicopter pilot instructor at Fort Walters in Mineral Wells, Texas. He worked later as the airport manager at the Mineral Wells Airport.
John served as police officer for the Toledo Police Department; the chief of police for Montour, Iowa; bus driver for the South Tama County Community School District; EMT Intermediate with the Toledo Ambulance Service; and park ranger at the Otter Creek Lake and Park.
His passion in life was flying helicopters, and in his spare time he loved to fish and raise sheep. He also liked polka dancing, football, and watching bull riding.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Richard and Libby Zody, of Toledo, Iowa.
He is survived by his wife, Janet Zody, of Toledo, Iowa; daughter and son-in-law, Annette and Brian Bennett, of Mineral Wells, Texas; daughter and son-in-law, Patricia Zody and Robert LaFleur, of Alexandria, Virginia; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Vanessa Zody, of Roseville, California; son, Kevin Zody, of Toledo, Iowa; and grandchildren, Rebeka Bennett, Catherine Bennett, Donovan Miller, Elisa Zody, Annie and Alannah Perez, Ajaylah Zody, and Faith Zody. He is also survived by a sister and nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Heart Foundation.