Private First Class Zickefoose was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 758th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, U.S. Army. He suffered a coronary occlusion and was taken to the 121st Evacuation Hospital where he died on 7 July 1951.

Zickefoose was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.