Walker-Eastman-Heydinger Funeral Home
98 W. Main St.
Norwalk, OH 44857
Phone: 419.663.4513
Fax: 419.663.6809
Cell Phone: 419.663.3504
Email: wehfh@eastmanfuneralhome.com
Website: https://www.eastmanfuneralhome.com/norwalk
View All Obituaries from Walker-Eastman-Heydinger Funeral Home
Richard D. ("Dick") Zeiter, age 88, of Norwalk, Ohio passed away on December 16 after a lengthy illness while surrounded by his loving family. He was born August 29, 1935, in Centerton, Ohio to the late Mervin D. Zeiter and Helen M. Martin Zeiter. His stepmother was the late Lucile Zeiter.
Dick proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1954 - 1959, spending 1-1/2 years in Korea and the remainder in the U.S. He was part of the 7th motor transport 1st Marine Division, achieving the rank of E-4 Sergeant. Dick married his sweetheart, the former Carol Sommers, on April 25, 1964. Known for his sense of humor, when Dick started a family after serving in the Marines and his children asked him what the "USMC" tattoo on his arm stood for, his response was "Uncle Sam's Misguided Child."
A hard worker and jack of all trades, Dick held a variety of jobs such as railroad worker, brick layer, welder, equipment operator, and building construction with Roth Bros. In 1959 he started a material hauling business, Zeiter Trucking Inc., which he began with a single dump truck and has been in operation for 63 years. Over the years, the company has grown steadily, and today has nearly 45 employees in addition to several owner operators, and a fleet of 27 tractors and 7 straight trucks. Dick retired from the family business in 2000, turning it over to his children to continue his legacy. Along with his family, Dick and his wife Carol also ran Zeiter's Ceramic Supply, Inc., from 1982 - 2000 which was a retail and wholesale ceramic business as well as the manufacturer of Buckeye Slip and Mary Ann Porcelain. Zeiter's Ceramic Supply Inc. was the largest complete wholesale/retail ceramic supplier in Ohio.
Dick had a variety of hobbies and interests, including camping, snowmobiling, traveling, motorcycling, and enjoyed all Ohio sports teams. He especially enjoyed playing dart ball and played for the Courthouse Café and The Lutheran Church League. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Wakeman Snowballers Snowmobile Club. He enjoyed new challenges and working with his hands, whether it was building, repairing, creating, or cooking. After Dick and Carol retired from the trucking and ceramic businesses, they spent winters at Poinsettia Park in Fort Myers, Florida. Dick was a member of the park's board of directors and served as its president for 3 years and secretary for 1 year and board director for 1 year.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents, father Mervin Zeiter, stepmother Lucile Zeiter, mother, Helen (Martin-Zeiter) Jennings, sister Mary Ann Simons, stepbrother Robert Zeiter, grandson Timothy Buck, Jr., granddaughter Natasha Marie Salyer and numerous other relatives. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Carol; his children, Mark (Deborah) Zeiter of New London, Ohio, Steven (Lisa) Zeiter of Norwalk, Ohio, Teresa (Timothy) VanBrandt of Ottawa Lake, Michigan, Richard (Holly) Maxwell Zeiter of Farmsville, Virginia, and Gary (JoAnn) Salyer Zeiter of Little Hocking, Ohio; Deborah (Timothy) Buck Monclova, OH; grandchildren Brittany (Adam) Weeks, Nicholas (Tara), Heather, Sydney, Austin, and Shelby Zeiter, Trevor and Joshua Myers, Mason VanBrandt, Jessica Talbott, and Brian Buck; and great grandchildren Mia and Nolan Weeks, and Allyson Lockhart.
Visitation will be on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at Walker-Eastman-Heydinger Funeral Home, 98 W. Main St., Norwalk, Ohio from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Visitation will also be held again, at the same location, on Friday, December 22, 2023, from 10 a.m. until the time of the 11 a.m. funeral (on Friday). Burial will follow the funeral service in Woodlawn Cemetery with full military honors. Condolences can be shared at www.walkereastmanheydingerfh.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those wishing to contribute to Dick's memory may do so by donating to the Huron County Humane Society, 246 Woodlawn Avenue, Norwalk, OH 44857 (in memory of Richard Zeiter) or LifeWise Academy Huron County, P.O. Box 84 Norwalk, Ohio 44857.
Dick's family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Fresenius Kidney Care of Huron County in Norwalk, Ohio for the care and comfort they gave Dick over the past few years.
