Philip Zang, Jr.

Philip Zang Jr. passed away early Thursday morning at his home with his family. He was suffering from cancer and other health complications. He was born April 21, 1949 to Philip Zang Sr. and Lydia Keppler Zang of Depauville, NY. Philip is survived by his four children, Jan Hutchinson (David) of Angola, NY, David Philip Zang (Natalia Mora) of LaFortuna, Costa Rica, Heather Shuler (Jody -d.) of Watertown, NY, and Rebekah Verdile (Anthony) of Richland, NY. He had 8 grandchildren ages 13-24. Caitlyn Hutchinson, Brytani Hutchinson, Jayson Hutchinson, Jacob Hutchinson, Shae Verdile, Rayanna Verdile, Amanda Carnefix, and Sarah Carnefix. He is also survived by his brother George Bowes (Miriam) of LaFargeville, NY and his sisters, Lillian S. Perkins of Clayton, NY, Glorianne Zang Garnsey (Floyd) of Pardeesville, PA. He had many nieces, nephews and cousins and extended family that he valued. Philip was predeceased by his parents, Philip Zang Sr. and Lydia. His wife, Linda, and his sisters, Dorothy Henry, Louise Reed, and Evelyn Queal. He graduated high school in Clayton, NY in 1966 and then went to Potsdam, NY for two years. Phil earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Nebraska, qualifying him to be a teacher. Raised on two different farms in Depauville, he grew up loving everything agricultural and animals, especially horses. His parents instilled in him the value of hard work and doing good for others. On July 20, 1968, he married the girl he was in love with all through high school, Linda Radley. Together, they raised 4 children and spent 48 remarkably busy years together. After college, he worked as a shop teacher for the Plattsmouth Nebraska school district. Then he started his own roofing/home contracting business there. They stayed in Nebraska until 1986 when they moved back to Depauville, NY. There, he took work as a block layer with a union. He continued working in Masonry and owned his own business again for a while. In 1992 he combined his skills of teaching and masonry and started working for the NYS prison system in Brocton, NY, teaching inmates a trade they could use when they were released from prison. This gave him great satisfaction. In 1998, after their children were grown, Phil and Linda moved to sunny New Mexico and he worked with the prison system there, taught in a school on a Native American reservation and then a high school in Albuquerque. Phil and Linda were contacted by Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1972 at their home in Lincoln, NE. After agreeing it was the religious truth they were looking for, they were both baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses in Lincoln, Nebraska, on July 12, 1974 (just 16 hours before the birth of their third child.) Serving as a minister in 8 different congregations in Nebraska, New York, and New Mexico, he found the greatest joy in volunteering his free time to teach others what the Bible really says. He also made it a priority in his daily life to make serving his God, Jehovah the focal point for the rest of his family. He enjoyed using his talents in Masonry to volunteer to help build numerous Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s witnesses and even the Assembly Hall in Henrietta, NY. He loved people; loved having conversations; he could talk to everyone. From a homeless man under a bridge, to having conversations at the door with a stranger, to being a true confidant and listener to so many of his family and friends. He made genuine relationships with everyone showing he truly believed in the power of love and our heart is big enough to love all mankind in imitation of his heavenly Father, Jehovah. Those wishing to make donations are asked to consider donating online to JW.org in support of what was most important to Philip. There will be a virtual Memorial Service on Zoom, Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 4:00pm EST. Please contact the family for information to join. Arrangements are in the care of Summerville Funeral Home in Sandy Creek, NY. 315-387-5533

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