Fred E. Zeiner

Fred E. Zeiner of Clemson died on May 14, 2017 after a long period of illness. He was born in Neu Werbass, Yugoslavia on June 16, 1932. Two hundred years prior many Germans, including his father's family, had emigrated to this area. His childhood was spent in Yugoslavia until WWII began. Tito ordered all ethnic Germans be put in internment camps. The family was lucky to be able to escape by saying they were going to the World's Fair in Vienna. His father had gotten a job as a worker building the Mercedes-Benz plant in Stuttgart. His cousins had already emigrated to New York.

When the war broke out in full force, the children were evacuated from the cities to small farming towns. Schooling was very haphazard and children were put in classes by age, not by prior schooling. When Fred was 14 he went to work for his father as a carpenter, but he too, wanted to leave Germany. After a year in a displaced person's camp, he "was employed as a volunteer Ships Policeman carrying refugees and Emigrants from Bremerhaven, Germany to NY in 1951." He lived in New York with his cousin for a time, working in construction, before joining the Army. He was placed in Army Intelligence and volunteered for Korea, but was instead sent to Germany. He became a citizen in Munich in 1954.

After discharge he worked for Levitt building houses in New York and New Jersey, eventually settling in New Jersey.

Fred married Mary Ellen (Robi) Dimmock in March of 1972. In 1978 they moved to a farm on Dimmock Hollow Road in the small town of Morris , pop 1,800, in upstate New York. Knowing virtually nothing about beef or farming, it was initially a real challenge. The neighbor farmers cut the hay and helped with fencing and gave lots of good advice those first years. Also during that time, Fred was asked to teach woodworking and shop class for a semester at the local school. He began t classes at Cornell University to learn about all aspects of beef production, and he joined beef groups. As his knowledge grew, he developed one of the premiere herds in New York State, often hosting farm tours for cattlemen from all over the United States and Canada. In 1991 he was elected president of the New York Beef Cattleman's Association. He also was a member of Cornell's advisory board and ran the joint Cornell/Cattleman's teleauction. He was named "Cattleman of the Year" in 1993, and he and Robi were given a special award for all the work they had done for the association.

Though farming was a wonderful life, it required good health and stamina, two things that cancer and back problems curtailed; so in 2006 they made the decision to move to Clemson to help out with his wife's mother. Being very familiar with Clemson after visiting for 40 years, the decision was then made to stay here.

Fred died at home with his family and under the care of the wonderful Hospice of the Foothills nurses. He was preceded in death by his wife's parents, Charles and Kay Dimmock and his parents, Friedrich and Anna Zeiner. He is survived by his wife, Robi, of Clemson: his brother, Gunther, of Germany: his daughter Susie Zeiner and grandson Joel of Pennsylvania: brothers-in-law TJ (Kathi) Dimmock of Clemson, and Chuck Dimmock of Hilton Head: as well as, three adored nieces, Katie Dimmock, Jayne Gould, and Missy Johnson. He is also survived by his nephew, Chad Dimmock: and cousins, Ernst and Elizabeth Zeiner and family of Arizona: and many wonderful friends in Morris and Clemson.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central, SC