Leonard "Len" Charles Zyki, Jr.

Leonard “Len” Charles Zyki, Jr.

Len passed peacefully on August 9, 2026, at his home in Odessa, Florida, where he lived with his loving wife Anita.

Len was born on December 17, 1947, in Greenville, South Carolina. He grew up in South Carolina before attending the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado and graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His work eventually brought him to Tampa, Florida, where he built his career and raised his family.

Len was intelligent, humble, disciplined, capable and never idle. He had a natural ability to understand how things worked and a talent for fixing, building, and creating. He was a skilled carpenter, pilot, and windsurfer, an avid reader, and someone who could build a computer or repair an air conditioner. To those who knew him well, it often seemed there was very little he couldn’t figure out.

His greatest passion, however, was his faith in the Lord and the people he loved. Len was active in his church and devoted himself to missionary ministry, taking every opportunity he could to share the Gospel and show others the love of Christ. His faith shaped the way he lived and the way he cared for the people around him.

Multiple sclerosis eventually took away many of the activities that had once brought him so much enjoyment and made even simple things increasingly difficult. But it never took away his character or his faith. He faced the limitations of his illness with quiet strength and continued to find meaning in his family and in his relationship with the Lord.

Len was a devoted husband, a dedicated provider, and a wonderful father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Anita; his daughter, Karen and her fiancé, Brian; his sons, Kelly and his wife, Ashley, and Kevin and his wife, Stephanie; his three grandsons, Nigel, Wesley, and Jason, who proudly called him the “world’s greatest Papa”; and his sister, Priscilla and her husband, Tony.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Len Sr. and Zell, and his first wife, Sue.

His family will remember Len for his quiet confidence, his intelligence, his willingness to help, his ability to make and fix almost anything, and the steady example he set for those around him. Most of all, they will remember a man who put his faith into action and taught his family what it means to love God and love others.

Although we miss him deeply, we find peace in knowing that Len is no longer in pain or limited by a failing body. He is with his Savior, Jesus Christ, and whole again.

We are grateful for the years we had with him, for all he taught us, and for the memories that will stay with us. We know this is not goodbye forever.

Until we see you again, Papa. We love you.