My father passed away on March 30th with Mom by his side. LeRoy Wray Zion, a 50-year resident of Arcadia, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2008 at the age of 85. Roy was born on March 22, 1923 in Havelock, Nebraska to Hubert Clayton and Lyvia Margruette Zion. His family moved from Nebraska to California in 1923. Roy lived a long and fulfilling life. He served in the USMC from January 1, 1943 to December 7, 1945 with the 4th Division, 155th Howitzer Battalion, 1st. Provisional Field Artillery Group, Fleet Marine Corps. He also served in the USMC Reserves from May 21, 1947 until December 8, 1948. He saw combat in Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. His younger brother Ken, who served with the 4th Division, 23rd Infantry, was killed on Saipan July 1, 1944. While in Saipan Roy and Ken used to swap their letters from home. Some of those letters to Ken were from Kay Jones, who would turn out to be Roy's future wife. Roy was always very proud of his service in the Marines. As he always quoted, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine". Roy worked for Pacific Bell for over 34 years, retiring in 1981. He served as a CWA Union Officer, Local 9505, for 21 years including 3 terms as President and 3 terms as Vice President. He remained active in the Union as well as the Elks, Lodge 1427, the American Legion, Post 247, the TelCo Pioneers, and Chapter 2 of the 4th Marine Division. He organized and chaired a gathering of Telco retirees twice a year, The 338 Club, which was just held this past March 12th in Pasadena. Roy was truly an outdoorsman. He loved fishing, hunting, trailering, jeeping, working in his flower and vegetable gardens and on his huge model train set. Most of the buildings for his trains were made by hand, from photos of old ghost towns he had been to over the past many years. He especially enjoyed spending time with his wife and family in the Eastern Sierras every summer, sometimes as long as up to 3 months camping and fishing! His children have continued this tradition each year as well, joining their parents just this past August in Bridgeport, California for several weeks. He leaves behind his loving wife of over 60 years, Kay; his children Sandy (Merlin) Anderson of Duarte, Kathy (Mike) Bell of Glendora, Ken (Chris) Zion of Long Beach, and Mike Zion of Long Beach; grandchildren Kristopher & Matthew Bell of Glendora, Alana (David Roberts) Zion of Monrovia, Travis Zion of Duarte, Tom & Roy Zion of Long Beach; and a great-granddaughter, Yaiden Zion Roberts of Monrovia. He also leaves behind a multitude of other family and friends whose lives he touched. He will be greatly missed by all of those who knew him and his memory will be cherished forever. Funeral services will be held at the Monrovia United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2008. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made, in Roy's name, to the Monrovia United Methodist Church or to a charity of your choice. His final resting place will be private, in God's Country. Adios and Semper Fi Sandy Zion-Anderson http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/z/i/o/Sandy-Zion/index.html Other names also in my tree: BIDDLE, BLUBAUGH, CARTER, CREECH, CREVELING, ELY, FLEENOR, FRALEY, GILLENWATER, GOBBLE, HOBBS, JAYNE, LITTON, MCCORMICK, MUNCY, PARSONS, PENNINGTON, ROOP, RUSSELL, SIMS, SKAGGS, SLAGLE, SLEMP, SPRINKLE, STANDIFER, THOMPSON & YEARY