Richard Frank Zumalt

Richard "Dick" Zumalt, born July 27, 1926 in Gerber, California to Frank and Edna Zumalt as an only child, deceased on February 22, 2012 following a 15 year struggle with pulmonary fibrosis. Richard was a lifelong resident of Tehama County where he was a General Building Contractor and built 35 custom homes and various commercial and industrial projects including a hydro-electric generating facility east of Manton, California. He was a member of the Red Bluff Elks Lodge and a past president of the Wilcox Oaks Country Club.

Richard filled his life with interests and activity. He was a dedicated family man and father who loved sports and hunting and fishing. Richard was in the Army Cadets (Army Air Force) in 1944 where he took flight training after graduating from Red Bluff Union High School and was honorably discharged when WWII ended in 1945. Once home in Red Bluff he pursued his passion to fly and received a private pilot license under the instruction of Henry (Hank) Jori at the Red Bluff Airport. He became a surveyor for the United States Bureau of Reclamation and surveyed the route for the first electrical transmission tower line from Shasta Dam to the transmission substation located at Cottonwood. The original towers and transmission line still stand and are in use today. They can be seen where the tower line crosses Highway I-5 at the north end of Cottonwood. Other transmission lines have subsequently been constructed next to the original line along this route. He was a Western Pine certified lumber grader and supervised the operations at the Forward Brothers Planing Mill located on Rawson Road, south of Red Bluff. Even with job offers from the Western Pine Association to travel and oversee lumber grade accuracy, he chose to stay home in Red Bluff with his wife Beverley and their two sons. They initially lived on their ranch west of Red Bluff at the Red Bank Farm Center and eventually moved to Antelope Valley, east of Red Bluff, to pursue his general contracting business.

Richard is survived by his spouse Beverley (Forward) Zumalt of 62 years who he married on February 12, 1950 at the Red Bluff Presbyterian Church on Jefferson Street. He is also survived by his two sons, Randall Trent (and Gayle) of San Francisco and Kimball Raye (and Cindy) of Red Bluff. Richard has 7 grandchildren: Carson Zumalt (USMC abroad) with family in Dumfries, Virginia; Ryan Zumalt of Redding, California; Amber (Zumalt) Lane of Frederick, Maryland; Jason Zumalt of Redding, California; Cody Zumalt of Dayton, Nevada; Amber Gibbs of Fairfield, California; and Kassandra Zumalt of Red Bluff, California. Other surviving family members are 13 great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Richard lived his life with love and dedication to his wife Beverley and his family and shared his strength and talents with compassion and sincerity. He is loved and remembered as a guiding light by us all. Rest in peace, dear husband and father. We love you.

Donations may be made in Richard Zumalt's name to Hospice (1425 Vista Way, Red Bluff) or your favorite charity .

Services will be at the Presbyterian Church located at 838 Jefferson Street, Red Bluff, California on Tuesday, February 28, at 10:30 am.

Internment services will follow at the Manton Cemetary, Manton, California.

Reception will be at the Wilcox Oaks Country Club following the internment at Manton Cemetary.

Arrangements under the direction of Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers, Red Bluff, CA.