John I. Zaring

Wyomissing resident John I. Zaring died at 7:21 am on Sunday, May 1, 2005, in Reading Hospital. He turned 79 on April 22. Zaring retired as president of Leesport-based Metals Engineering Company in 1993. He joined the firm in 1961 as a salesman, and became its president in 1983. In 1992, he orchestrated the sale of Metals to Brush Wellman, where his career in sales began in the early 50s. Zaring graduated from the McCann School of Business in 1948. Zaring was born in 1926 at Reading Hospital to Edna (Adams) and Irvin Zaring. He was a stand-out athlete in both baseball and basketball, and graduated Reading High School in 1944. Zaring was a veteran of World War II and served with the U.S. Army's 117th Cavalry in the European Theater.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Doris M. (Trate), son Jedd A., Lynchburg, VA, his wife Betty and their children Scott and Bryan, and son John R. of Los Angeles, CA, his wife Bianca and their children Fiona & Kylie. Other survivors include sisters Ruth Mench (Reading), and Miriam Stutzman (Centreville, MD), and step-sisters Kathryn (Reinhart) Eppihimer (Reading) and Betty (Reinhart) Miller (Reading) .

In 1996, Zaring was elected Honorary Life Member of the Reading and Berks Basketball Old-timers; he served as Corresponding Secretary for the non-profit organization. He maintained a lifelong love of golf, and was co-founder of the Lincoln Park Golf League, whose groups were first off the tee each Saturday morning at Galen Hall over three decades.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2005, at Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing. Burial at Forest Hills Memorial Park will be private. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home of West Reading is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading, 1161 Pershing Boulevard, Reading, 19611.