Fredrick Fred Steven Zinchiak

(December 7, 1954 – August 27, 2013)

After a long, courageous battle with diabetes, Fred passed away on Tuesday at Siena Care Skilled Nursing Facility in Auburn, CA. Fred was born at Bolling AFB, Washington, DC, the only son of Steven and Helena (Durkatch) Zinchiak. He spent his early childhood in Nova Scotia where his father was stationed in the Air Force, then later moved to Sacramento, CA. He attended St. John’s Catholic School through 8th grade and later, Del Campo High School in Carmichael, CA. Fred graduated from California State University Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication in 1975. From the time he graduated college to 1983, he worked in different positions at several radio stations across the country. From 1984 to 1998, he worked for the U.S. Army as a Public Affairs Specialist, spending the majority of those years at the U. S. Army Recruiting Battalion in Rancho Cordova, CA. In 1992, he met Teresa Ann Byrd who he married on May 29, 1993 in an outdoor ceremony in Fair Oaks, CA. In 1998, he left the battalion to work at the California State Water Resources Control Board as a Public Information Officer where he remained until 2002 when he retired on disability.

Fred is survived by his wife of 20 years, Teresa (Terri), of Citrus Heights, CA, their daughter, Shanna Weaver, of Great Falls, MT, and three sisters, Teresa Habra of Newcastle, CA, Monica Zinchiak of San Diego, CA and Mary Zinchiak of Carmichael, CA. He was predeceased by his parents, Steven Fredrick Zinchiak and Helena Anna Durkatch Zinchiak, along with an older sister, Suzanne.

Fred was an outgoing, loving, intelligent, thoughtful and caring person who will be missed terribly by family and friends alike.