Thomas Edward Zinn, age 84, of Morgantown, passed away peacefully in the presence of his loving family, Saturday afternoon, January 19, 2019, at his home near Cheat Lake.
The eldest son of the late C. Glenn Zinn and Marjorie Wilson Zinn, he was born in Morgantown in August of 1934.
He graduated from Morgantown High School in 1952, and West Virginia University in 1956.
Tom entered the US Navy in 1957, where he served as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. He rescued 14 downed pilots and flew during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After serving 10 years on active duty, he served in the Naval Reserve for an additional 10 years, retiring as a Commander in 1977, after a tour of service with the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon.
In 1966, he was hired by Eastern Airlines and flew safely for that company for 24 years as a flight officer. He retired in 1989, with 18,500 flight hours as a Captain in the B-757.
He was a lifetime member of the First Baptist Church on High Street, in Morgantown.
He is survived by his son, Thomas E. Zinn, II ,of Front Royal, Va. and his daughter, Tanya Zinn Jones and her husband Warren, of Ashburn, Va.; his step-son, Alan Gutzeit and his wife Leilani, of Kapolei, Hawaii; his step-daughter, Debra Sanow and her husband Don, of Jacksonville, Fla.; his sister, Glenna Zinn Pratt, of Washington, Pa. and his brother, David W. Zinn, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Additionally, Mr. Zinn has eight surviving grandchildren including, Jonathan, Christen and Kathryn Garland, Kyle, Monica, and Megan Zinn, Joshua Gutzeit and Kevin Weber.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his second wife, Mikell Gutzeit Zinn in 1998, and by a granddaughter, Katelyn Marie Zinn, in 2010.
Friends may join Tom’s family to honor his life and legacy at Smith Funeral & Cremation Care, 108 Holland Ave., Westover, from 4 – 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, and from noon on Saturday, Jan. 26, until the time of the funeral service at 1 p.m. officiated by Pastor Kenny Reed. He will be laid to rest at East Oak Grove Cemetery with Full Military Honors accorded at the graveside by the Earl Anderson Detachment 342 of the Marine Corps League.
Flowers will be welcomed at the funeral home. However, if desired, contributions in his memory may be made to Amedysis Hospice, 5006 Mid Atlantic Dr., Morgantown, WV 26508, and/or to the Earl Anderson Detachment 342 of the Marine Corps League, PO Box 1507, Morgantown, WV 26507.
Condolences: smithfcc.com.
