Donald V. Zeiss Sr.

Donald V. Zeiss, Sr., 96 passed away on Friday, November 23, 2018 in Lincoln. Don was born March 7, 1922 to Charles V. and Pearl M. (Sutton) Zeiss in Ulysses, NE. Don grew up in Ulysses, Aurora, Trumbull, and Lincoln, NE and Kansas City, MO. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1939. He married Genevieve Knippel on July 12, 1941. The couple had two children, Donald Jr. and Deborah. After Genevieve’s passing, Don met Anna Taylor, the two married in December of 1967. Don worked for the CB&Q Railroad before entering the Army in early 1943. After completing basic training, he was selected to attend The Citadel in Charleston, SC for related military training. In January 1944, he was deployed to Europe. While in Europe, he did duty in Scotland, England, France and Germany. He was a Radio Team Crew Chief and Platoon Leader. Don was honorably discharged in 1945 at the rank of Tech Sgt. Upon returning to Lincoln from the Army, he went back to work for the CB&Q Railroad, which later became the Burlington Northern Railroad. He worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad for 47 years in several different areas, including the track, store, engineering, land and law departments. While working for the railroad, he attended college classes at night through the University of Wisconsin and DePaul University in Chicago. During the final 20 years of his career, he managed construction projects in various cities throughout the United States, retiring as Director of Construction in Kalispell, MT. Later, Don and Anna moved back to Lincoln to be near family. They regularly attended the Cathedral of the Risen Christ. Don was preceded in death by his first wife, Genevieve; wife, Anna, his parents; sisters, Rachael McCampbell and Lillian Norgren; brother, Howard; granddaughter, Danette McLain and grandson, Greg Shaw. He is survived by his son, Don Jr. (Janice) Zeiss of Wayne, NE; daughter, Deborah (Ed) Shaw of Lincoln, NE; five grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and his very special friend, Glaucia Hansen. Services: Friday, November 30, 2018 at 3:00 PM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home (6800 S. 14th Street) in Lincoln. Inurnment with military honors will follow at Lincoln Memorial Park. In honor of Don’s love of reading, memorials are suggested to the Lincoln Public Library.