Loren “Zick” Dewayne Zickefoose
October 9, 1943 – March 13, 2026
Loren “Zick” Dewayne Zickefoose, age 82, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026, with his children by his side.
Zick was born on October 9, 1943, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, to Orval Eugene Zickefoose and Gayle Alene (Stull) Zickefoose. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree, attending Iowa State University, where he studied engineering.
Zick spent the majority of his career working in the telecommunications industry, a profession that took him across the United States. Throughout his career, he lived and worked in Iowa, New Jersey, Nebraska, California, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland before retiring. In retirement, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of living on the water, eventually settling on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky, where he lived aboard his boat.
He had a deep love for the outdoors and treasured the many camping trips he took with his family across the United States. Zick also enjoyed traveling internationally, visiting destinations including Mexico, Europe, and Australia. An experienced sailor, he captained private sailing trips to the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, the Azores, and beyond with his brother Keith joining him for an adventure or two.
Zick enjoyed working with his hands and was skilled in carpentry and home projects. He built furniture, completed countless handyman projects, constructed his first retirement home himself alongside his brother Mark, and helped finalize the design of his beloved houseboat.
An avid reader, Zick maintained a list of the thousands of books he read over the years. He enjoyed watching Fox News—especially The Five—and spent many hours playing cribbage and solving Sudoku puzzles. Above all, he was known for always having a story to tell.
Zick is survived by his children, Bryan (Natasha) Zickefoose and Kelly (Frank) Quinby; his grandchildren, Dakota (Kelsi) Zickefoose, Carter (Savanna) Quinby, Tia (Brock) Byford, and Simon Quinby; his sister, Nancy Sasseen; and his brother, Oren “Keith” (Tammy) Zickefoose. He is also survived by three great grandsons, many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and his dear friends Jeff and Cindy Factor.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Mark and Phillip Zickefoose; his sister, Patricia “Lynn” Messer; and his granddaughter, Jordan Zickefoose.
In keeping with Zick’s wishes arrangements will be private and the family will not be holding a public service. Those wishing to honor his life may consider donating to the Jean Waddle Care Center (Hospice) in Somerset, Kentucky, whose staff provided compassionate care during his final days. Donations can be made at: 
https://hospicelc.org/