John Thomas Zirkel, 57, of Springfield, lost his battle with cancer on Feb. 9, two days after his birthday. John was born in Burns Feb. 7, 1959, to Thomas and LeAnna (Gullett) Zirkel, and joined his older brother, Jerry, who was 2 years old, at their home in Hines. He attended Hines Elementary and Burns Union High, graduating in 1977, and began working in the timber industry at Edward Hines Lumber Company.

At 6’ 11” tall, “Big John” was known throughout Oregon and Washington from his years of experience working in the timber and construction industries. He married Heather Sutton June 14, 1980, in Burns. He and Heather then moved to Springfield, so he could continue employment in the timber and construction industry, starting with Oregon Cedar Products in 1980; which closed due to NAFTA in 1996. He then worked for Specialty Constructors, Seneca Saw Mill, B&B Crane, O&S Construction, Spirit Construction, Forslund Crane, and then his final employer, Reed’s Fuel & Trucking out of Coburg, where he was a chip truck driver.

John is survived his by his wife, Heather, and son, Jacob, of Springfield; his father and stepmother, Thomas and Jean Zirkel, of Scio; and many loving and caring stepbrothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother, LeAnn, in 1980; his daughter, Amber Lea, in 1993; and his brother, Jerry, in 2013.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. April 16 at Parkway Landmark Baptist Church on Pioneer Parkway and C Street in Springfield. A donation account for John Thomas Zirkel was set up by a Reed’s Fuel & Trucking co-workers, with Northwest Community Credit Union, P.O. Box 10607, Eugene, OR 97440, to help the family with expenses.