Ralph Frederick Zielke

Ralph Frederick Zielke, age 91, of Farmington Hills, Michigan passed away on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. Ralph was born March 4, 1931. He is preceded in death by loving wife Joyce Elaine Zielke (Wagner). He is survived by three children, Gail Niemiec, Donna (Steve) Leffingwell, Janet (John) Romans, two grandchildren Christian (Amanda) Romans, and Annaliese Romans, and great-grandson Jace Romans, and sister Carol Bjertness.

Ralph was born in Detroit and attended from MacKenzie High School. After graduating, he served in the Army during the Korean Conflict. He and Joyce married in Detroit at Covenant Lutheran Church on June 9, 1956. They continued to reside there until they built their first home in Redford. They moved to Farmington Hills in 1978 where he finished his career and a tool and die supervisor at Lamina Inc.

Ralph loved to build things and putter on projects. He began building a house up North in Waters, MI on Little Bradford Lake in the early 60s and spent the rest of his life making it into a place where family and friends were always welcome to visit and enjoy. While he and Joyce were up there, they loved to go fishing and golfing almost every day. Ralph and Joyce taught skiing for many years with the Blizzard Ski School and Ralph continued to enjoy skiing into his 80s. He loved to feed the birds and watch them outside the window. He was always watching or listening to the Tiger games. He also enjoyed the Red Wings and the Lions.

A funeral service for Ralph will be held Friday, July 15, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Harry J Will Funeral Homes, 37000 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia, Michigan 48152, beginning with a visitation at 12:00 PM.