Captain Carl J. Zahner Usnr-r

Captain Carl J. Zahner USNR-R

League City - Captain Carl J. Zahner USNR-R, age 72, of League City, Texas, died at home on Saturday, July 18th. Carl was born in Rockville Centre New York. He received a bachelor's degree in military science, psychology, and philosophy from Marquette University, was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, and married Sharon Voelker during one wonderful weekend in 1970 before reporting for duty the following Monday.

As a child he lived in New York, California, and England. He and his family followed his father, a pilot for Pan American. After leaving home, Carl moved to Milwaukee for school and to join the Navy ROTC program at Marquette University. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Impervious MSO 449 stationed in Hawaii and Guam and was deployed during the Vietnam War. While he was in Guam he also earned a master's degree in counseling psychology.

When Carl retired from active service he remained in the Naval Reserve. In the Reserve he served at numerous stations around the world, including England, Germany, and Italy. Moreover, he was also active in the Returning Warriors program to assist Navy and Marine personnel after they came home from active duty to re-enter civilian life.

Carl and Sharon moved to Gainesville, Florida where he continued his education, receiving a PhD from the University of Florida in 1977. The family then moved to Miami Florida so that Carl could teach at Barry University for two years. They returned to the University of Florida and both Sharon and Carl obtained law degrees, graduating in 1982. After 3 years in Jacksonville, FL working as a law clerk and attorney, Carl spent the rest of his career working for the State of Florida. First in the Attorney General's Office, then the Department of Education, as the Director of the Correctional Education School Authority, and finally the Director of Professionalism at The Florida Bar. He retired from the Navy in 2000 as a Captain and from the State of Florida in 2012 to tend his garden, paint and brew beer.

Carl is survived by his wife Sharon, three sons Peter (Shea), Christopher (Michelle), and Carl John; five brothers Richard, Joseph, Thomas, Paul, and Matthew; five sisters Carol, M'Lue, Johanna, Marie, and Erika and five granddaughters Sadie, Katelyn, Molly, Grace, and Charlotte. He is preceded in death by his parents, a daughter Elizabeth who died in infancy and a brother John Bosco.

He was a devoted son, brother, father, grandfather, and friend who showed love and grace to all who knew him.

A Memorial service will be 12:00 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church with Father Michael Foley officiating. For those unable to attend in person, an online live-stream of the service will be available at https://goodshepherdparish.org/.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the Open Door Women's Clinic of Tallahassee, Florida. https://www.donateodwc.com/.