Richard Lee Zinn

Richard (Dick) Zinn, was born in Dayton, Ohio, son of Richard M. Zinn and Janet Elizabeth (Fosdick) Zinn. Dick graduated from Bowling Green State University and relocated to Lima, OH with his wife Janet Lee (Hitchcock) of Lima.

Dick first taught Industrial Arts at Lima’s Central Jr High School and owned a wood shop business which provided open access to wood shop machines for people to work on their projects. Dick later mentored students at Shawnee High School in Diversified Cooperative Training (DCT), the precursor to Apollo Joint Vocational School. He was a Founding Partner in the Orchard Hill Tennis Club.

Dick had a passion for tennis and skiing (both snow and water). He became a certified ski instructor and part-owner of the ski school in Valley Hi, OH (now Mad River Mountain) and taught thousands of people how to ski. Following his passion for skiing and utilizing his Orchard Hill Tennis Club experience, Dick relocated to Colorado where he contributed to the Copper Mountain Athletic Club and afterwards consulted in Denver for other athletic and tennis clubs.

Upon moving to Utah, he founded Richard Zinn Associates, a construction business building custom homes and later commercial and medical renovations. After some years, he retired to San Diego where he spent time with family and loved ones on the golf course, at the beach, and wherever they needed him most.

Dick modeled kindness and patience. He was a great encourager and teacher who left all those he taught with a high sense of self esteem. He was dearly loved, and will be missed by all who knew him.

Dick is survived by his wife Jacque (Skidmore) Zinn, daughters Shelee Brenneman (Jim), Tamra Cantore, sons Richard Sherman (Keliana), James Sherman (Jessie), step-daughter Nicole Murphy (Thomas), ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.