Richard John Zettel, Jr.

Richard John Zettel 9-11-1948 / 4-24-2021 Age 72 Loving son of Richard & Jeannette (deceased) Zettel, Caring brother of Chris (deceased), sister-in-law Linda Zettel, sister Colleen (Gary) Pankow, and brothers Paul Zettel and Steve (Staci) Zettel. Beloved husband of Debbie. Loving and devoted father of Laura (George) Watson, Jennifer Armstrong, and Richard lll (Ashley), stepfather to Jennifer (Jeff) Price and Sara (Alex) Grevi. Proud and adored Papa to Calib Dranberg, Sean and Ryan Price. Alexandra and Wil Watson. David, Zack, Grace, Emma, and Michael Armstrong. Eleanor, Victoria and Elijah Grevi. Rachael and Charlotte Zettel. Great grandfather to Jasmine Dranberg. Richard served in the US Coast Guard from 1967 to 1971, spending two years serving in Operation Market Time, patrolling for illegal contraband entering Vietnam. He was a former Sterling Heights police officer from 1977 to 1986. While working as a police officer, he went on to attend MSU Law School (formerly Detroit College of Law) and earned his Juris Doctorate and graduated Cum Laude in 1984. In 1988, he was elected to the Sterling Heights City Council and served from 1988 to 1991. He resigned from City Council to accept a position as an assistant prosecuting attorney and then on to the Chief Prosecutor of the Drug Forfeiture Unit in Macomb County. He was appointed by the Governor of Michigan to the Michigan Workers’ Compensation Board of Magistrates where he served for 14 years before starting his tenure in 2008 as an Administrative Law Judge with Health and Human Services for Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and he had no plans of retiring. Anyone who walked by his office at work or spent any amount of time with Judge Zettel soon learned of his love for his family and grandchildren. His work team was an extension of the family he loved so much. Richard was the guy everyone could count on to get the job done; he never said no to anyone. He was very devoted to his family, especially to his grandkids, who he truly adored! If they were not paying attention, they would get Papa’s tickle claw, and they would soon jump in his lap for more… or just to relax and take a nap in his arms. Richard would tell everyone “if we knew Grandkids were this much fun, we would have had them first!” He also loved taking his family out to dinner & his favorites were Da Francesco’s and any Mexican restaurant. He loved to watch college football with Laura & Jenny who would get just as excited and loud as he did. Richard was the family’s Great White Hunter. He started teaching his son Rich when he was 5. He loved hunting up north with his favorite brother-in-law Herb. His last hunt was trying to teach his son-in-law Alex to hunt behind his house, with Richard’s crossbow. He will be deeply missed by all that knew him… A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Please share memories with the family at their "Online Guestbook" at WujekCalcaterra.com In lieu of flower donations can be made to: Reunitethefight.org Michigan Special Olympics

Richard John Zettel, Jr.

September 11, 1948 - April 24, 2021