Johnnie Mack Zinn (John) was born in Philadelphia on May 6, 1940 to Donald and Jo Ann Zinn. He passed on December 2, 2023, with his daughter Gina and his companion Gail at his side, in his home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. His late wife, Irene, preceded him in death. He is survived by his brother Jimmie Zinn, his first wife, Patricia Zinn, their three children, Eric, Erin, and Gina, Irene’s daughter Susan Moore, and his companion, Gail Shepperd.
John attended Fresno State College, where he joined ROTC, became a student officer, and learned to fly a Taylor Cub. After college graduation, John joined the Air Force and flew jet trainers, and then fighters. During the Vietnam war he flew prop-driven freighters to Vietnam. After the war, John continued to serve his country by flying fighter jets for the Air Force Reserves. He also began his career as a commercial pilot with Western Airlines. He retired in 2000 from Delta Airlines as a Captain flying international routes.
John will be remembered by those who knew him for his kindness, his tender heart, his sense of humor, his adventurous spirit, and his love of travel and good food and engaging conversation. He had friends all over the world. He loved fishing, boating and sailing. Throughout John’s life he embraced new opportunities to learn and grow. He played guitar and studied photography, gemology and Buddhism. He and Irene loved to cook and host dinner parties. As a boy, John played violin in his school orchestra. In his 70s he signed up for private lessons and began playing again. He turned baking bread into an art and considered it a labor of love. He modeled living a centered, purposeful and generous life. He flew for the Civil Air Patrol (the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force), served on an Emergency Response Team (disaster relief and crisis management), and did volunteer work for VFW and the Special Olympics.
John will be greatly missed but his positive influence in the lives of his family and friends will continue. His ashes have been spread in Yosemite National Park.
