Congratulations to Bob and Fran Zickes for 46 years of marriage – and more, as their son Ben Zickes writes in this announcement to share with you:

My parents are my heroes. They are dedicated members of the West Seattle community and have been Seaview residents for over four decades. On this day, their 46th wedding anniversary, I hope to briefly share their story, in honor of their service to our beloved neighborhood.

Bob and Fran Zickes were married May 6th, 1972 in Seattle at St Patrick’s on Capitol Hill. They share birthdays on consecutive days, May 7th (Mom, her 72nd) and May 8th (Dad, his 73rd).

Both have lived a life dedicated to service in the Seattle community and I could not be more proud.

Mom was a nanny to five local children in the 1980s and was a teacher’s assistant in the 1990s at Rainier Beach HS and later at Holy Rosary. She volunteered her time reading to kids at the public library in retirement. Today, she is an active member of the senior center and a volunteer at the Junction Stop N Shop, which supports the center. An enthusiastic walker and golfer (longtime member at West Seattle Golf Course), mom even has three career Hole-In-Ones! Legendary Sonics broadcaster Kevin Calabro once lovingly called her “a housewife from West Seattle who cleaned our clocks” when recalling a round they played together on KJR radio.

Dad is an old soul, fisherman, and gardener since birth. After graduating from Notre Dame, he served in the Air Force, which took him to Korea just after he met Mom. After the service and a return to Seattle, his 30-year career was spent in the Parks Department of King County, where he championed efforts like the pea patch program, the original “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” slogan of the early 1990s, and efforts to start composting residential yard waste. Near retirement, Dad served as a loaned executive from King County for the United Way campaign for multiple years. In retirement, Dad spent 10 years as a Left Field gate host for the Mariners. For as long as I can remember, Dad has donated his Wednesday mornings to the Meals on Wheels program in West Seattle. Dad too loves to golf, fish, and take daily walks with Mom around the neighborhood. You’ll find him tending to his garden most days (donating extras to the WS Food Bank), if he’s not busy bowling at Roxbury Lanes.

I think if my parents were to tell you their secrets to a long and happy partnership, a healthy dose of “daily walks” and a solid weekly “routine” would be right at the top of the list.

If you ever see them taking their walks around West Seattle, I invite you to say Hello! Congratulations, Mom and Dad!