Lawrence Albert Zuber

Lawrence Albert Zuber passed away doing what he loved on June 30, 2020 – moving logs. He was born September 18, 1953 to Albert and Gloria Zuber. He was a life long resident of Orick. As a kid he grew up in the booming little town of Orick, he was always outside playing baseball, fishing, hunting and raising show hogs, he raised the grand champion his freshman year. After high school he attended College of the Redwoods and went to work for his dad’s logging operation. On June 12, 1976 he married his wife, Cheryl. Before children they did all the fun socializing things young couples did, ski trips with friends and other couples to Tahoe, poker or game nights, Halloween parties (and yes he dressed up a few times) and all the other holiday parties the Elkhorn or Lumberjack offered back in the day of the busy little town. Steelhead Lodge was a favorite spot for the couple with friends. Most birthdays and anniversaries were spent there.

The year 1983 was a busy year. They started dairying, milking Holstein cows and had their first daughter, Marla. In 1985 their second daughter, Kristy was born. By 1992 the logging business had taken off, he had grown his dad’s single loader and cat operation to multiple machines and jobsites, so they decided to focus on the logging and traded in the dairy cattle for beef cattle. Larry loved the logging through all the ups and downs. For 46 years he contract logged for Green Diamond through all the sales and name changes. He was with them from Arcata Redwood to LP to Green Diamond and all the names in between. He spent his life on all those dirt logging roads. He also worked for Redwood National Park for about 10 years doing road decommissioning. He loved being on a machine — he would run loader all day then come home and jump on the tractor to help make hay in the summer or mow the grass coming into Orick. Whether it was running a loader, cat, tractor or lawn mower it was peaceful for him, that was his happy place. On weekends in the summer he loved watching his daughter rope and compete at rodeos. But his love for all of this was trumped in 2018 when his first grandchild, Levi arrived. He was so excited and a proud grandpa. He took Levi on evening backhoe rides or cruises in the buggy up the hill to check for elk. He had Levi in the woods on all the logging equipment and splitting firewood at the barn. He waited every morning in the winter for Levi to get to the barn to feed cattle with him and his wife. He was the best grandpa a little outdoor boy could ask for. In May this year he got a second grandson, Trey.

Most knew him as a grumpy logger who wasn’t afraid to let you hear about it if you messed up or couldn’t get parts fast enough for a broke-down machine. For those lucky enough to know him after hours as a friend he would give you a hard time, trying to get a reaction out of you, then look at you with a little joking smirk on his face. He would help anyone out and never want anything in return, he was a giver. Larry will be missed by the community, but most of all by his wife, daughters and grandsons.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Albert & Gloria Zuber; his father in law, Hans Bolt and sister in law, Connie Bernard. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl; daughter, Kristy; daughter and son in law, Marla and Justin and grandsons, Levi and Trey Mora; his brother, David Zuber; mother in law, Maxine Bolt; sister in law, Cathy Bolt Jones; brother in laws, John Jones and Nick Bolt; along with five nephews.

At this time there will be no public service, the family will notify friends of a date and place in September for a celebration of life.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Orick Volunteer Fire Dept or your favorite youth charity.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lawrence Albert Zuber, please visit our floral store.