Floyd Michael Zula passed away quietly on June 22, 2025, after a brief illness, at PeaceHealth Hospital in Springfield, Oregon. He was 80 years old.
Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Floyd spent his childhood in several states, with Indiana being the most formative. He was the only child of Dorothy Mildred Poe and Floyd Clement Zula, and is survived by his partner of 41 years, Kelly Laslie, as well as several cousins.
Floyd attended Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Indiana, and went on to graduate from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1967. He continued his education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earning a Master of Arts in Library Science in 1968.
In April 1969, Floyd was drafted into the U.S. Army while working at Muskegon Community College in Michigan. His service took him first to Fort Ord, California, where he delivered library materials via bookmobile to military personnel, and later to Long Binh Post in Vietnam, where he continued his unique mission of bringing books and knowledge to those far from home.
Floyd’s distinguished career as a librarian spanned several decades and institutions. He held positions at Thomas More College (now University) in Kentucky; Arkansas State University in Jonesboro from 1976 to 1978; Christopher Newport College (now University) in Newport News, Virginia, from 1978 to 1982; Tulane University in New Orleans, where he served as head of acquisitions from 1983 to 1995; and California State University, Fullerton, where he was head of collection development from 1995 until his retirement in 2004.
After retiring, Floyd relocated to Portland, Oregon, to be with his longtime partner, Kelly. In June 2023, the couple settled in Eugene, Oregon, where they lived until Floyd’s passing.
Floyd was an avid traveler with a deep appreciation for history, art, and architecture. He especially enjoyed journeys to Japan, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France. His curiosity and vast knowledge made him an exceptional traveling companion—always eager to share insights, discover hidden gems, and make every trip more meaningful and memorable. Above all, Floyd’s warmth, kindness, and gentle spirit made him a joy to be with.
Floyd’s life was marked by a quiet dedication to learning, service, and connection. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of his loved ones.
Duane & Katherine Benedict
2 months ago
We are forever grateful for the kindness and generosity both Kelly and Mike showed our mother, Norma Benedict. Your relationship is and was a great model for all couples everywhere. Kelly, please accept our heartfelt condolences!
Kean Lange
2 months ago
Mike (as he was known to members of our book group) was a member of our group for over a decade. He always brought great books to read and great insight. He is greatly missed.
Kean Lange
2 months ago
Mike had been a member of our book group for over a decade. He brought great books, great insight and great commentary on our reading selections. We all miss him greatly.
James Van Valkenburg
1 month ago
Floyd was a good man who was intelligent, well read and traveled, honest and considerate to others and a great friend. I will miss living vicariously through his travels which were shared in his letters and postcards sent to me.
Ray Luck
1 month ago
Floyd was a dear friend (from our years at Indiana U) and most loyal correspondent who shared his love of life, appreciation for art, and curiosity for travel through the hundreds of postcards he sent me over the years. I mourn and miss him terribly—it was so sudden and unexpected—and I send you, Kelly, my deepest condolence.
Jean Saso
1 month ago
Mike was an exceptional man. I knew him and his partner, Kelly when they hired me to petsit their lovely cat, Sally. We kept in touch over the years and had lunch at a few restaurants in Portland. Mike was a very knowledgeable man who loved to read. He travelled the world and I loved to hear him speak of the places he had been. I will miss him greatly. RIP, my friend.
Susan Brownson
1 month ago
Mike and the Brownsons have been friends since my late husband and he were colleagues in Virginia at the Christopher Newport College library. Later on we kept in touch by the occasional rendezvous at library conferences throughout the years. He was an easy and resourceful companion who brought his insightful and amusing observations to our travels abroad together.— a helpful, kind, and constant friend that I will dearly miss. To Kelly, my heartfelt condolence and please take care.
Bob Moise
1 month ago
I feel very Blessed to have been in presence of he's Life.The short time of being with him was well lived.Full of laughter, and him teaching me about he's knowledge of art and history of what he studied and leaned.What a Legacy he left of teaching.Sorry for your Loss Uncle Kelly
Bob Moise
Edward Teague
1 month ago
I believe Floyd and Kelly met at a conference I organized in St Augustine FL in 1985. We were friends ever since and shared many experiences over four decades. The elegy is a fitting statement of a man so kind, intelligent, and distinguished. The photo shows Kelly and Floyd at the Oregon Country Fair in 2019.
John Hickok
3 weeks ago
I was a coworker of Floyd’s at the library of California State University Fullerton in the 2000s. Floyd had a wonderful quality of being keeping things real. Whenever you needed honest insight, Floyd would share it. That was so valuable. I kept in touch with him into the 2010s & 2020s, always enjoying his travelogues, stories, and postcards. And I have a whole box of ties he “donated” to me, ha ha, over the years. They are nice memories to remind me of him and his thoughtfulness.