Jon E. Zacharias

With deep sadness, the Zacharias family announces the passing of Jon Edward Zacharias, our beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He died peacefully on Aug. 20, 2024, in the arms of his wife of 62 years and in the presence of his two children.
Jon was born on Jan. 31, 1935, in Glenwood City, Wisc. He was the youngest of eight siblings, all of whom preceded him in death and were, no doubt, gathered to welcome him as he entered heaven. To hear him tell it, his childhood on the farm was happy, filled with hard work and mischief. After high school graduation, he entered the United States Air Force and was accepted into navigator training. After a couple of years as a navigator, he decided "the real fun was in the left seat" and went to pilot training. He flew for more than two decades, with postings in Fairbanks, AK; San Antonio and El Paso, TX; San Francisco, CA; Vietnam; Orlando, Ft. Walton Beach, and Tampa, FL; and Sembach, Ramstein, Wiesbaden, and Stuttgart, Germany. In the last several years of his military career, he commanded a USAF special forces unit. He retired after 30 years of service.
Post-retirement, Jon was a real estate agent, tax preparer, savvy investor, handy man, roof repairer, home renovator, pool guy, fisherman, crabber, world traveler, chef, wine enthusiast, and root beer float connoisseur. He also did a mean Sudoku and jigsaw puzzle.
More than any of that, though, he was a loving husband, proud father, ever-more-proud grandfather, and friend you could count on no matter what.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Agnes and Arthur; his brothers, Harris ("Zac"), Chester ("Chess"), Walter ("Swede"), and Sherman ("Red"); his beloved sisters, Madeline Fassler ("Sis"), Carol Knauss ("Carrie") and Madonna Praschak ("Dotzie"); and the best dog ever, Toxie.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Alice; his children, Beth Zacharias Hunt (Brian) and Stephen James Zacharias; and his grandchildren, Jonathan James Zacharias, Harper Janette Cecelia Zacharias, and Shannon Elizabeth Hunt.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in the chapel at St. Mark Village, 2655 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor, Florida. Jon's family will receive guests at a reception to follow.
At a later date, Col. Jon Edward Zacharias (ret.) will be buried with military honors at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Air Force Aid Society (https://afas.org/) or the Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/).