Earl Howard Zeiger

Earl H. Zeiger, 85, of Abilene, formerly of Phelan, CA passed away in his sleep on Friday, March 24, 2017. He is now fishing on the Platte River in Saratoga, Wyoming with his brothers as he would so vividly remember in his dreams. Earl was born in Rawlins, WY to William Zeiger and Elizabeth Watts Zeiger on February 29, 1932. He graduated from Saratoga High School, Saratoga, WY in 1950, and shortly thereafter joined the U.S. Air Force. Earl was quickly shipped to Europe and stationed in France, where he met and married, Ginette Varet Zeiger. They have been married for 62 years. Earl made the Air Force a career and traveled all over the world, being shipped many times away from his family during the Vietnam conflict. He was sent on several one year assignments to Korea, Thailand and Greenland. Upon his retirement, he went to work for a contractor with NASA and enjoyed many years working on communications relating to our Space Systems. Earl was a quiet, gentle man, with a sly sense of humor. Once engaged in conversation, you would quickly find he knew a little bit about everything. He had some of the greatest ideas, and was happy to share with those who would listen. He was handy and had a God given talent in which he could build anything. He will be dearly missed by his family, but we are resolved in knowing he is whole. Earl was preceded in death by both parents, his older sister, Margaret, three brothers, Artlin, Kenneth and Bud. He is survived by his wife, Ginette of Abilene; four daughters, Charlene Lever of Lompoc, CA, Pat Chastain and son-in-law Rob of Abilene, Sue Goodell and son-in-law Randy of Williams, AZ, Linda Hall and son-in-law Duane of Abilene; two sisters, Donna Youngblood of Winona, MO and Betty Widner of Colorado; seven grandchildren, Adam Laible and Chase Laible both of Grants Pass, OR, Kyle Laible of Abilene, Michelle Cass and husband Tommy of Lompoc, CA, Christina Bennett of Los Angeles, CA, David Kronk of Wakarusa, IN and Ginette Kronk of Elkhart, IN; four great-grandchildren, Dylan Laible of Grants Pass, OR, Jacob Laible of Abilene, Finley Cass of Lompoc, CA, and newest edition, Elliana Laible of Grants Pass, OR. Earl will be cremated and his family will celebrate his life at a later date with a formal ceremony on the Platte River, which he dearly loved. Arrangements are in the care of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Memorials may be given to Meals on Wheels Plus of Abilene or to the Abilene Humane Society.