Richard Paul Zobel

Richard ‘Rich’ Paul Zobel, 79, of Tipton, entered eternity on Wednesday, February 20, 2019, while under the care of Cedar Manor Nursing Home in Tipton. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at 10:00 AM in the United Methodist Church in Tipton. Burial will follow in the Rochester Cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 1, 2019, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Fry Funeral Home, Tipton. Online condolences may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com. A memorial fund has been established for the Iowa City Hospice.

Rich, son of Paul Walter and Minnie Rambatt Zobel, was born on November 19, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois. Rich graduated from Bowen High School in Chicago. He spent a lot of his time working with his father at Sieps Chevrolet in 1958 learning to be a mechanic.  In 1963, Rich served his country in the United States Army until 1965. Rich was united in marriage to Karen Lee Strefling on September 3, 1966, in Chicago. In 1970, they moved to Tipton where Rich worked as a mechanic for Fred’s Chevrolet-Olds which later became Stueland Auto Center.  Rich started Rich’s Auto Repair that operated from 1993 through 2011. Rich was a mechanic for 57 years. His father, Paul, taught him auto mechanics, and Rich carried on the family tradition and taught his son, Jon, all about auto mechanics as well.

Rich is survived by his wife of 52 years, Karen Lee Zobel, of Tipton; daughters, Paula Jo and husband, Doug Katutis, of Winter Garden, Florida and Tracy Pellegrino of West Melbourne, Florida; his son, Jon and wife, Amy, of Tipton; 9 grandsons and 1 granddaughter; his brother, David Zobel of Las Vegas, Nevada. He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law, Chris Pellegrino, sister-in-law, Audrey Zobel, and his grandson, James Zobel.

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