Lonnie "Zeke" Zelenkewich

Lonnie "Zeke" Zelenkewich, 67, of Winchester, CT, passed away January 12, 2024, at Yale New Haven Hospital.  Lon made it to Yale! He was the beloved husband of Deborah (Kaine) "Debra-do" Zelenkewich for 47 years.

Lonnie was born September 9, 1956, in Bristol, CT, the son of the late Lucien and Lorraine (Veilleux) Zelenkewich.  He served his Country in the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power Program and was honorably discharged.  He established and operated Zeke’s Plumbing and Water Conditioning for over 30 years. He loved serving his customers, often with a “friends and family discount,” and was proud to tackle challenges with his "bag of tricks.” Lonnie was a firm believer in the barter and trade economy and was very disappointed in the poor quality of goods, often saying “they don’t make anything like they used to!” Everyone knew that if they “had a leak, they could call Zeke!” Aside from plumbing, Lonnie was proud to have built his own home on his own property in Winchester Center, Connecticut where he raised his children to be independent, tool wielding problem solvers. Deb and Lon the "fun-meister" hosted many gatherings of friends and family, creating memories that will last many lifetimes. When he wasn't working, Zeke could be found on the golf course trying to shoot his age, making sure his daughter could never beat him, and most likely involved in shenanigans with "The Boys."

In addition to his beloved wife Debbie, he is survived by a son, Todd "Biff, Todder, Flashman, Toadster, Toddrick" Zelenkewich of Bulls Gap, TN; a daughter, Holly "Choo Choo" Zelenkewich and her wife Kristie "T" Thomas of Saratoga Springs, NY; one sister, Laurie "Slink" Bolduc of Bristol, CT; nephew Kyle “Crocodile” Bolduc and his fiancé Kristen DeAngelo, niece Jordan "Jord-o" Kaine and her husband Brian "Buddy Bri" Husvar, his brother-in-law Jay "J-bird" Kaine, and aunts, uncles, and cousins in Winslow, Maine. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister Linda "Rosebud" Howe, nephew Jesse “Jesse John” Bolduc, and many beloved friends too numerous to name. Rest assured, they all had a nickname from Lonnie. His final Lon-ism was "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space."

The family would like to sincerely thank everyone at the Connecticut VA Hospital for their care and the wonderful staff at Yale New Haven MICU.

Private funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Cook Funeral Home and a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Condolences may be sent to Lonnie’s family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com. The family would love to hear your nickname along with any memories and "Lon-isms" you may have heard over the years. In lieu of flowers, if you feel so inclined, donations can be made to Lon's Final Party Fund.