Freddie Velbert Zeiler, 86, of Paris, Arkansas, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2017, in Paris. He was born in Paris on November 23, 1930, to the late Frank Voett Zeiler and Mental Harger Zeiler. He was also preceded in death by his youngest and beloved daughter, Janet Gage.

Freddie was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in 1954. His most significant duty assignment was aboard the USS Genesee AOG 8 during the Korean War and he was a cook/baker. He returned to Paris where he met and eloped with his wife of 61 years, Nina Lee Zeiler. He is fondly remembered by many for his church bus ministry. He was a mechanic for several businesses and lent his expertise and skill to friends and family. He was a long-haul truck driver for a number of years in which his family joined him for many adventurous trips. He retired from Reeder-Simco. Freddie had many talents and interests including: race car building, inventing tools, songwriting, and being a musician. If he wasn't listening to music, he was making music on his guitar and writing and singing songs. He especially loved and adored his grandchildren who spent many hours with him and Nina.

Fred is survived by his wife, Nina; three children, Freddie Zeiler and wife Joyce of Springfield; Eddie Zeiler of Fort Smith; and Lori Holt and husband Steve of Ozark; a sister, Betty Lux of Paris; a brother, Bill Zeiler of Vian, Oklahoma; twelve grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be at Brotherton Funeral Home Chapel in Paris at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 4th, 2017. His body will reside at Mount Salem Cemetery until resurrection morning. Bro. Daniel Kesterson of Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where Freddie is a member, will be officiating. Bro. J. H. Carter will also be participating in the service. Visitation will be held at Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home in Paris on Friday, March 3rd, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Pallbearers will be Eric Zeiler, Matthew Fultz, Jared Holt, Alex Smith, Aaron Smith, and Alvin Howard. Honorary pallbearers will be caregivers and staff from Paris Health and Rehabilitation, where he lived his last seven years being loved and cared for.

To view the video tribute, go to http://videos.lifetributes.com/783518

To pay an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.