Ernest Gail Zickefoose

Ernest Gail Zickefoose, 78, of Brighton died early Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, at the Washington County Hospital in Washington. He had been in failing health.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the First Church of God in Brighton with Pastors Ryan Meader, Rick Zickefoose and Rick Hughes officiating. Burial will be in Cottonwood Cemetery near Wayland. Open visitation at the First Church of God will be Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., and the family will be present to greet friends 6 to 8 p.m., Friday evening. Memorials for the Brighton Volunteer First Responders or the First Church of God may be left at the church or mailed to the family at 405 S. Farmer St., Brighton, IA 52540. Gould Funeral Home of Brighton is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Zickefoose was born in Brighton on March 13, 1937, to William Ernest and Bessie E. Neff Zickefoose. He married Karren Hesseltine on Oct. 5, 1957, in Missouri.

He grew up in Brighton and graduated from Brighton High School in 1955.  He was self-employed in construction, working at Fairfield Engineering, and the Washington YMCA/YWCA for many years. He retired in 2001. Gail was a longtime member of the First Church of God in Brighton, where he also taught Sunday School and led a young married class, was a lay pastor and conducted a nursing home ministry. He was a proud lifetime member of the NRA, loved hunting, shooting and special time with the grandchildren.

Mr. Zickefoose is survived by his wife Karren; two daughters, Debra Hughes (Rick) and Cathy Farley (Robert); one son, Rick Zickefoose (Heather) all of Brighton; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one brother, Les Zickefoose (Joelyn) of rural West Chester; and two sisters, Jean Dunbar (James) of rural Washington, and Darlene Reighard (Gailen) of Willard, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandson Eric, one brother, Leonard "Bill" Zickefoose, and two sisters, Olletha Waterhouse and June Ricks.