remembering Ken Zion

[David Waters]

Kenneth J. Zion

Kenneth Joseph Zion, age 68, of Tuscumbia, Ala., died suddenly July 9, 2006. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, July 14, 2006, at Morrison Funeral Home, of Tuscumbia. His funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 15, 2006, at Our Lady of the Shoals Catholic Church, with the Rev. Patrick Tierney officiating.

Ken was retired from Cameo Container Corp. in Chicago, Ill., and moved to Tuscumbia, Ala., to pursue his life in retirement and his love of fishing. He was a wonderful father, grandfather and friend that will be deeply missed, especially by his closest fishing friends. Doug Fest will not be the same without him. All fishing stories have an ending, and his ended with his best friend Brenda at his side and living a life of retirement that he always dreamed of. He was of the Catholic faith and a member of Shoals Area Crappie Association.

He is survived by wife, Brenda Zion; sons, Robert Zion and wife, Barbara, of Moneta, Va., Chris Zion and wife, Cindy, of Loves Park, Ill., Kenneth Zion Jr. and wife, Maria, of Germany; stepchildren, Edward McAuley and wife, Laura, Deanna Barnett and husband, Ron, all of Illinois; brother, Tom Zion, of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.; sister, Susan Sodetz, of Palos Park, Ill.; mother-in-law, Jimmie Mae Watson; sisters and brothers-in-law, Barbara and Rick Halstead, of Muscle Shoals, Cathy and Doug Vandiver, of Tuscumbia, and Rich Sodetz, of Wisconsin; grandchildren, Melissa, Ashley and Mariah Zion; five step-grandchildren, Jessica, Ryan and Megan McAuley, Rebecca and Katie Barnett; two nieces and three nephews.

He was respected and loved by all.

Morrison Funeral Home, of Tuscumbia, is directing.


Ken embodied what the SACA was all about. While he didn't wiegh in many fish at tournments, he showed up every time to every event we had. He always had a smile and a possitive attitude. The last tournament we collected fish and gave to him to take home. He was tickled to have those fish for his freezer to cook for his family coming in town. I called him often to go fishing and most of the time he went.
He was from the Chicago area, and often talked about his freinds he fished with from that area. He and his buddies always gathered together once a year and traveled to fish somewhere. They called it "Dougfest" after one of the guys in this group. This year they were trveling up north somewhere to go Walley fishing. I am sure that Dougfest will not be the same without him

Ken, you will be missed greatly. You will allways be remembered by everyone in the SACA. We were lucky to have met you and been called your freind.

Rest in peice my friend.

[Billbob]

well put