North Vernon
Dwight F. “Fred” ZeBell, 87, passed away at 10:10 a.m. Saturday, June 24, 2017, at his residence.
He was the eldest son of Dwight F. ZeBell and Katherine P. (Williams) ZeBell and was born on South State Street in North Vernon on Oct. 26, 1929.
The Memorial Service will be conducted at noon Friday, June 30, 2017, at the Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home and Cremation Services in North Vernon with the Rev. John Willis officiating. Family and friends may call from 10 a.m. until service time Friday, June 30, 2017. Fred was a former member of the First United Methodist Church.
It took him 79 years to find the love of his life, Pearl Fishvogt of Columbus, but it was worth the wait.
He retired from the Indiana State Police in 1984 on his 55th birthday after 27 years and eight months. He dispatched, trained dispatchers, repaired mobile radios, base stations, Radars, Vascars and Sirens and, for a period of time, supervised the dispatchers. After retiring, he lived in Clearwater and Bayonet Poinet, Florida, for 18 years.
He was a retired member of DeMolay in Seymour and a 50-plus year member of the North Vernon Free and Accepted Masons Lodge #59. He belonged to the Ripley County Amateur Radio Club, North Vernon Fraternal Order of Police, Indiana State Police Alliance and Indiana State Police Pioneers.
He joined the Naval Reserve while in high school and was a member for three years and 11 months when he was drafted into the Army in March of 1951, and spent 21 months in the Army, with 11 months in Korea and two months in the hospital in Japan. On the ship coming home, he crossed the International Date Line on his 23rd birthday, having a birthday two days in a row.
In July of 1955, he entered Indianapolis Electronic School for 18 months and graduated with a certificate in electronic engineering technician on the GI Bill. After leaving the school, he started with the Indiana State Police in February 1957. He also worked on the televisions and radios and installed TV antennas. He also went to Indiana University School of Realty and, after graduating, took the test for salesperson and broker and received a broker’s license, he also was a graduate of Purdue’s Supervisory Development Institute. After retirement and moving to Clearwater, Florida, he attended real estate school. After obtaining his broker’s license, he bought half interest in a real estate office in Safety Harbor.
He is survived by three daughters, Lu (Phil) Wick, Myra (Keith) Rogers and Susan ZeBell, all of North Vernon; grandsons, Jon (Katie) Wick of Seymour, Shawn Wick and Mike (Chrissy) Wick of North Vernon, Christian Rogers of Columbus; and granddaughters, Madi Rogers of North Vernon and Kelsey Sloan of Bloomington, Illinois; great-grandsons, Dylan Wick of North Vernon and Hunter Wick of Seymour, along with one great-granddaughter, Chloe Wick of North Vernon; several nieces; and caregiver, Jennifer “Jasmine” Wilhelm of North Vernon.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, A. William ZeBell; and sister, Connie Edmonds Wade.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made through the funeral home to Our Hospice of South Central-Jennings County Team 2 in memory of Dwight ZeBell, American Heart Association or Disabled Veterans.
