[ABFM] Dick Zody died July 20, 2007

[bart.hildreth]

Dr. Richard E. Zody, 70, of Blacksburg, Va. died in his home Friday, July 20, 
2007. He was born May 11, 1937 in Richland County, Ohio to Marie Beverage Zody 
and Melvin Zody who preceded him in death. His family moved to Terre Haute, 
Ind. when he was nine years old where he actively participated in the Boy 
Scouts and YMCA. Later he taught and mentored many young men as he taught them 
swimming and judo. Richard served in the Army's Military Police for three 
years and in the Honor Guard in South Korea. He earned his B.A. and Master's 
degrees from Indiana State University and his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois 
University. He was an Associate Professor at Wichita State University for 
eight years and then moved to VA Tech as professor and chair of Urban Affairs 
and Planning Department where he authored many academic publications in his 
field. He served his local community as a member of the Montgomery County 
School Board, and his state government in multiple high level capacities. 
Richard was an accomplished national and international consultant for various 
agencies and numerous countries including the Commonwealth of Independent 
States such as Latvia, Moldova and Ukraine . He is survived by his wife of 
fifty years, Mary Jane Heinig Zody and three sons; Karl and his wife Tracie, 
Gregg, Morgan and his wife Katrina; as well as four grandchildren by Karl and 
Tracie, Nikolaus, Jarod, Hannah and Olivia. He is also survived by his 
brother, Curtis Zody and wife Sauny; sister Karla Zody M.D.; brother Gary Zody 
and his special friend Sharon Beeson; sister Cynthia and husband Ray Olmi; and 
many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, aunts, uncles and 
cousins. Richard touched many lives, especially his family's, colleagues and 
the many students he taught and mentored over the course of his long and 
distinguished teaching career. He loved teaching and will be missed by all. A 
memorial service will be held Monday, July 23, 2007 at 7 p.m. in the McCoy 
Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Christine Brownlie officiating. In lieu of 
flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Blacksburg Fire Department, 
2700 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060, or the Blacksburg Rescue Squad, 
200 Progress Street, NE, Blacksburg, VA 24060. The family will receive friends 
from 5 to 7 p.m. prior to the service Monday evening at McCoy Funeral Home, 
150 Country Club Drive, SW, Blacksburg. 
Published in the Roanoke Times from 7/21/2007 - 7/22/2007.

http://www.legacy.com/Roanoke/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=91078949