Francis Wayne Zaruba (1930-2018)

ZARUBA, COPPESS, LESLIE

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 12/3/2018 at 16:23:22

Francis Wayne Zaruba, 88, of Maquoketa, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, December 1, 2018, at his home in Maquoketa, Iowa.

A celebration of Francis Wayne's life will be held at 11:30 A.M., Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at Faith Community Church in Maquoketa. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. at the church. A private burial will be at the Mayflower Cemetery, Oxford Junction, Iowa. The Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa is caring for the family.

Francis Wayne Zaruba was born on February 22, 1930 in Onslow, Iowa, to John Albert and Frances Mae (Coppess) Zaruba. He was educated in Jones County country schools and later earned his GED. He served his country in the U.S. Army earning an honorable discharge. He married Gertrude Marie Leslie on March 27, 1954 in Oxford Junction, Iowa. To this union four children were born, Vicki, Sheryl, Scott, and Tim.

Upon returning home from his military service, Francis Wayne had worked at Clinton Engines in Maquoketa as a Melt Foreman. He then worked as a grinder at Caterpillar in Bettendorf and later retired from Caterpillar in York, Pennsylvania. In addition to his full-time job, he always had a second job as a handyman. He was a "jack-of-all-trades" and did carpentry, electrical and plumbing work.

He was a member of Faith Community Church in Maquoketa, and the Oxford Junction American Legion Post #473. He enjoyed camping, fishing, handyman work, reading, and Blue Grass festivals and music.

Those left to his memory include his wife, Gertrude Zaruba of Maquoketa, IA; children, Vicki (Bill) Norman of Houston, TX, Sheryl (Richard) Crist of Maquoketa, IA, Scott "Frank" (Wendy) Zaruba of Maquoketa, IA, and Tim Zaruba of Bettendorf, IA; 11 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren; and brothers, John (Joyce) Zaruba of Tipton, IA, Glenn Dale (Helen) Zaruba of Davenport, IA, Robert Zaruba of Marshalltown, IA, Jerry (Judy) Zaruba of Cedar Rapids, IA, and Jim Zaruba of Des Moines, IA; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Barbara Widel.

Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.