Gary Zieman

Gary Lee Zieman, 75, of Baton Rouge, La., passed away Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, due to complications from a cerebral aneurysm at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington, La. Services will be held at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, La. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14th, 2016, and funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at a later date at Sunset Lawns Cemetery in El Dorado, Kan.

Gary was born Jan. 22, 1941, in El Dorado, Kan. He attended El Dorado High School, where he played football, joined the "El Dorodders" car club and married Annette Adams. They survived the great El Dorado tornado of 1958 and had two sons, Marshall and Mark. They divorced in 1963, but remarried in 1981.

In the intervening years, Gary took a job at Vulcan Chemicals in Wichita, Kan., rising through the company to eventually become a production supervisor at Vulcan's Geismar, La., plant. He was married to Joyce Gardner for 18 years, and they had four daughters, Cindy, Candy, Misty and Tiffany.

Throughout his life, Gary had a wide range of interests and passions, from rooting for the LSU and Nebraska football teams to touring flower gardens, watching Jeopardy and reading James Michener novels. He was a lifelong car nut; as a 12-year-old he drove from Kansas to Texas. He loved buying and driving cars and binge watching the Mecum auto auctions on TV. He listened to Johnny Cash and Bob Seger, but also loved Connie Dover and Scottish ballads. He was a lover of history, museums, crossword puzzles and antique clocks - and dancing, smoking, playing pitch and hanging out with friends at the Patio Lounge.

Gary preferred green bananas to ripe ones, red meat instead of salads and was a notoriously finicky eater. But he also enjoyed experiencing new cultures and treasured his trips to Nicaragua and Scotland. All his life he worked hard, saved his money and treated people honestly. He also possessed a dry Kansas wit and a blunt demeanor that could easily be mistaken as being grumpy. But he adored his children and grandchildren and they felt the same, rallying from across Louisiana and the U.S. to help save his Baton Rouge home during the terrible August floods. And they gathered again these past weeks to be with "Dad," "Gramps," "Grandpa" and "Poppy" during his final days.

Gary was preceded in death by his brother, Tom R. Zieman; his parents, Vara E. Zieman and Maynard A. Zieman; and grandson-in-law, Floyd Guillory, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Annette, of Baton Rouge, La; and seven children: the Reverend Doctor Marshall Zieman and wife Becky, Omaha, Neb.; Mark Zieman and wife Rhonda, Sacramento, Ca.; Cindy LeJeune and husband Greg, Addis, La.; Candy Guerrero and husband Paul, Prairieville, La.; Misty Allred and husband Chester, Gonzales, La; Tiffany Musso and husband Derek, Geismar, La.; and Bethany Gildersleeve and husband Tommy, Baton Rouge, La.. Gary was blessed with many grandchildren: Stevie Guillory, Addis, La.; Jeremy LeJuene and wife Elizabeth, Baton Rouge, La.; Taylor LeJeune, Addis, La.; Allison and Shelby Guerrero, Prairieville, La.; Brandi Tanksley and husband Jonathan, Gonzales, La.; Samantha and Madisyn Allred, Gonzales, La.; Chloe and Mason Alper and Liam Musso, Geismar, La.; Dr. Glynnis Zieman Jones and husband Morgan, Phoenix, Ariz.; Gracie Himmelberg and husband Nevan, Houston, Texas; Rachel Flattery, Kansas City, Mo.; Sarah Flattery, Phoenix, Ariz.; Natalia Hayes and husband Cade, Tucson, Ariz.; Suzanne Zieman, Dallas, Texas; Ben Zieman, Dallas, Texas; and Camille, Amanda and Elizabeth Gildersleeve, Baton Rouge, La. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren: Bella Guerrero, Isabelle and Alexander Guillory and Eden Tanksley; sister-in-law Vicki Zieman Craven; nieces Michelle Zieman Nicholas and Rebecca Zieman; and godchild Anna Fiore. Gary also is survived by numerous cousins and friends.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Tammany Parish Hospital for their kindness and care during Gary's last days.

Visitation

Broadmoor United Methodist Church
10230 Mollylea Drive
Baton Rouge, LA  70815
Friday, October 14, 2016
9:00 am - 11:00 am

Service

Broadmoor United Methodist Church
10230 Mollylea Drive
Baton Rouge, LA  70815
Friday, October 14, 2016
11:00 am

Cemetery

Sunset Lawns Cemetery
El Dorado, KS

Memorial Contributions