Service: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct 15, Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home, the Rev. Jerry Foote, Mulford Evangelical Free Church will officiate. Visitation: 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, funeral home. Burial: Greenwood Cemetery. A funeral luncheo

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Ralph D. Zaehringer, 73, of Muscatine, died Monday, Oct. 12, 2009, at Lutheran Homes.

 Casketbearers will be Vincent McLoughlin, Dustin Zaehringer, Justin Graham, Brian Dobony, Ken Herlein, Joey Herlein, and Brook Zaehringer. Honorary bearer will be Tim McLoughlin. 

Memorials may be made to the family in care of Theresa Zaehringer.

 Mr. Zaehringer was born Sept. 23, 1936, in Muscatine, the son of Ralph F. and Edna Orton Zaehringer.  He married Theresa Florence Zmuda on Nov. 3, 1956, in Buffalo, N.Y. 

He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving at the Griffiss Air Force Base in Niagara Falls, N.Y.  During the eight years he served in the military, he worked as a jet engine mechanic on fighter air craft.

He worked for Grain Processing Corp., the Durant Foundry, Muscatine City Fire Department, Lester Keever windows and doors, he owned and operated D/R roofing while in New York, HON Industries, and retired from Thatcher Plastics when the plant closed.

He enjoyed fishing and hunting was extremely proud of the 18 point deer that he got in 1980. 

Survivors include his wife, Theresa Zaehringer of Muscatine; his children, Terry Herlein and husband, Kenny, of Muscatine, Susan Dobony and husband, Mike, of Springfield, Mo., Ralph F. Zaehringer of Letts, David D. Zaehringer and wife, Peggy Pace-Zaehringer, of Muscatine, Darrell Zaehringer and wife, Brenda Hut-Zaehringer of Muscatine, and Sheila Bernhardt and husband, Jake of Fountain City, Wis.; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; a brother, Denny Zaehringer and wife, Judy, of Machiase, N.Y.; three sisters, Marilyn DeKeyrel and husband, Jim, of Illinois City, Ill., Donna Bert and husband, Doug of Milan, Ill., and Sandy James and husband, Jerry, of Fruitland; a sister-in-law, Nancy Zaehringer of Muscatine; and a close cousin, Tom Orton and wife, Ruth Ann of Lee County.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Larry.