Robert “Buck”/“Bucky” Stephen Zakos Sr., 74, of Catasauqua, died Jan. 10, 2017. He was the husband of Beverly A. (Scott) for 43 years.

Born in Allentown, he was a son of the late Stephen and Mary (Novak) Zakos.

He was a 1960 graduate of Louis E. Dieruff High School, Allentown, and a 1961 graduate of the former Allentown Business School.

He was in the U.S. Army from 1964-66 in the field artillery and was a Vietnam veteran. He was a specialist E4, fire direction controller for Battery A of the 6th Battalion, 27th Artillery Regiment. He was a recipient of a Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Battle Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.

He was a warehouse supervisor at Vanguard Plastics Manufacturing, Upper Macungie Township, from which he retired in 1997. He was a former employee of Western Union, Allentown, and of A-Treat Beverage Company, also in Allentown.

He was a basketball player in many recreational leagues.

He was a member of the 1960s Winter’s Café basketball team that had a seven-year, 35-game win streak in the Allentown Rec Class A League. He was an umpire for local area amateur baseball and softball leagues throughout the Lehigh Valley over the past 45 years, including Allentown Rec League, American Legion Baseball, Blue Mountain League, Lehigh Valley Slo-pitch and many others.

He was a member of Suburban North Family YMCA, Catasauqua, and previously of the Allentown YMCA, Catasauqua American Legion Post 215, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, Catasauqua Club and Catasauqua East End Fire Company social club. He was a past member of the former Allentown Italian Club and the former Allentown Ukrainian Club.

He attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Catasauqua, and was a former attendee of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Allentown.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Robert S. Jr. and his wife Lynn M. of Bethlehem.

He was predeceased by a sister, Rosemary A. Kurtz.

Contributions may be made to American Heart Association, 968 Postal Road, Suite 110, Allentown, 18017; or American Cancer Society, 3893 Adler Place, Suite 170, Bethlehem, 18017.

Arrangements were made by Brubaker Funeral Home Inc., Catasauqua.