William G. “Bill” Zuke, 77, died in Prosser, WA, on June 16, 2007. He was born in Chicago on Oct. 26, 1929 of immigrant parents, Michael Zuke (Zukovich) of Techne and Mary (Marie) Zasedelova. His parents owned a grocery store and his father was a window washer for the skyscrapers in Chicago. After graduation from Lane Technical High School in 1947, Bill completed a degree in Physics at North Central College in Naperville in 1951 with a plan to teach. Instead, Bill entered the Army and was stationed at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. where he met his future wife, Jane Tremearne. They were part of a team studying the effects of injury to nerve cells on behavior and learning. They married June 19, 1954 and raised five children in Adelphi, MD. After his discharge, he worked for the Naval Ordinance Laboratory (NOL) in White Oak, MD where he developed instruments to measure the physical effects of underwater nuclear explosions. After 15 years, he took a position with Naval Air Systems Command (NavAir) in Washington, D.C. where he developed weaponry rocket systems for another 15 years. After the Carter Israeli-Egyptian Peace Accord, Bill assisted the Egyptian Defense team and acquired his famous sheik costume and camel saddle. After his retirement from NavAir in 1985, Bill returned to Chicago to take care of his elderly mother. On his return, he achieved his life-long ambition to teach. He taught physics and chemistry at Von Steuben High School. Bill moved to Prosser 2001 and enjoyed the people, events and places in the Northwest. He was preceded in death by his parents; and cousin, Arthur. Bill is survived by his children, Anne (Steve) Kenny Chapman of Prosser, WA, John (Lesa) Zuke of Thurmont, M.D., Carol (BJ) Welling of Custer, WI, Laura Zuke of Springfield, OR, and Ralph Zuke of St. Louis, MO. Bill had seven grandchildren, Orian and Ariel Welling, Kevin, Colin and Brian Kenny, Scott Zuke, and Madelaine Zuke. A memorial gathering to remember Bill will be held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, June 23, 2007 in Prosser, WA, with Full Military Honors. Memorial donations may be made to any local 4-H program.
