J. Zinn

Zinn, J. Edwin

On July 3rd, 2023, at Miller Farm Place in Dayton, Ohio, Jay Edwin Zinn died of natural causes. Jay was born in New Carlisle, Ohio to Max and Ruth Zinn on December 25th, 1925. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Ingeborg (Keller) Zinn, his son, Kris Anthony Zinn, and his grandson, Adam Hunter Parr. Jay's surviving family members are his younger brother: Lawrence Alfred Zinn, and Jay's children: Margaret Ruth Parr, Jay Michael Zinn, Theresa Kay Slivinski, and Stephanie Ann Jones. Also, among his surviving members are his 14 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Jay had a passion for music. He loved to sing and also play the piano, guitar, ukulele, harmonica, and banjo. He sang with a deep, bass voice throughout his life in church choirs, and numerous Barbershop Choruses and Quartets. In his earlier years, he participated in several musical productions. During WWII, Jay entered the Army Air Corps on December 24, 1943, and was assigned to the 300th Troop Carrier Squadron (141st Air Service Group) as a radio operator and mechanic. He flew on C-47 Skytrain Military Transport planes carrying military officers to and from Berlin and London. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Private First Class on June 18, 1946. It was in Berlin where Jay met his future bride, Inge Keller. When he left Europe, they corresponded after the war until she came to America to visit. They had fallen in love and were married. Besides singing and music, some of Jay's many skills and talents were his creative abilities in art, architectural drafting, building construction, and craftsmanship in carpentry. Jay also had a love for languages and mastered the German language to communicate with his German bride and her relatives. He added Russian and Spanish to his studies, hoping to one day become an interpreter for international diplomats. Jay was outgoing, loved to tease, and always enjoyed a good conversation. With 97 years behind him, and all that had transpired during his life since 1925, he had plenty to talk about. Private services will be held by the family with his son, Michael officiating. Burial will be in New Carlisle Cemetery where he will be laid to rest beside his wife, Inge. Arrangements have been entrusted to Trostel, Chapman, Dunbar & Fraley Funeral Home. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.trostelchapman.com.