John B. Zielinski, 73, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in his Shillington home, surrounded by loving family.  Born in Bridgeton, NJ, he was a son of the late Claude and Hazel E. (Schell) Zielinski.  He was married for 43 wonderful years to his loving wife Linda A. (Wilhelm) Zielinski, whom he met after admiring her argyle socks – a story he loved to tell!

        John attended Reading High School and was a skilled machine operator for the Wyomissing Glazed Paper Mill for over 30 years, retiring in 2016.  He loved the simple things in life, like long drives in the country with Linda, cold beer and classic rock music, fishing and camping, and game nights and mystery parties with friends.  He was a great cook with a quick wit, always making those around him laugh.

        Above all else, John cherished time spent with his grandkids, each of whom will dearly miss their beloved “Pop.”

        In addition to his wife, Linda, John is survived by their daughter, Joanne B. Fidler, wife of Bradley, Temple, and the lights in his life, his grandchildren:  Zachary and Alyssa Smith, and Johnny and Jake Fidler.  In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a son, Jamie L. Smith in 2017, and by his brother Robert Schell, and sisters Nancy Spatz and Susan Boles. 

        A Celebration of John’s Life will be held at 6:00PM on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 1 East Lancaster Avenue, Shillington.  Visitation will be held from 5:00-6:00PM in the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in John’s honor to the Huntingtons Disease Foundation at P.O. Box 912, Salado, TX, 76571 or online at HuntingtonsDiseaseFoundation.org.

        Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., is honored to be assisting the Zielinski family. www.kleefuneralhome.com  

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