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Mr. Emil Ziegler
May 31, 1911- August 9, 2009
Mr. Emil Ziegler was born in Calw, located in the Black Forest region of Germany, in 1911. He endured many difficult trials as a young boy growing up during WWI in Germany. At a young age, he learned to cope with the difficultly of his austere upbringing and the devastating loss of his mother through his love of music and his love of nature. His love of music has become synonymous with his reputation and almost all who have come to know him throughout his lifetime can attest that they have heard him playing his cello.
As a young man he learned the skills of a carpenter and a machinist which fortuitously saved his life and has given us many more. At the onset of WWII, when Emil was just a young man, his proficient machinist skills were needed back home at a factory in Stuttgart just as his squadron went into a deadly battle in which 85% of his fellow troops lost their lives.
Nearly a decade after WWII, Mr. Ziegler immigrated to New York City by way of Winnipeg, Manitoba and sent for his wife Liesel and daughters Heidi and Elfriede as soon as he could. When his daughters were grown and married, he left the big city and moved into a trailer on a small tract of land in Belvidere, Vermont. Eventually, he moved “into town,” relocating to a farmhouse built in the late 1800’s on the edge of Jeffersonville, where he spent the last 32 years of his earthly life with his beloved wife, Liesel.
He is known to his grandchildren and many of their friends in town as “Opa,” which is German for Grandpa. But he was also known to his peers as a skilled carpenter, a musician, and a family man who could be found in church every Sunday morning. His love of music, which he cultivated as a youth, filled his life with beauty and vitality. As a native of the Black Forest, Emil loved to trek in the woods, hiking and singing, and playing his guitar. He played his cello daily, and even well into his 90s he was asked to play for special occasions at the Waterville Church of the Nazarene.
His age and agility came to be known as legend in the local area, prompting the Burlington Free Press to run a front page cover story with a picture of Emil, in his early 90s, cutting his vast lawn with a push mower. His winsome sense of humor and willing laugh, which have charmed his family and friends, will be missed. On a recent phone call, he said that he would like to issue a complaint about the weather, "but the authorities aren’t listening to me." Another quote attributed to Emil is "if you think you have difficulties, try smiling and whistling at the same time -- now that is difficult." He loved to gaze upon the creation of beauty found in every day and appreciate the gift of nature given by the creator. The loss of this vivacious character is difficult to believe and accept.
Emil is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Liesel Ziegler of Jeffersonville;
His daughter Heidi Schultz of Essex Junction;
His five grandchildren:
Nicole Hedrick and husband John of Wake Forest, NC;
Jacqueline Halbig of Alexandria, VA;
Kimberly Schultz and husband John Beresny of Fairfax, VA;
Mark Halbig and wife Elizabeth of Greer, SC;
Logan Schultz of Essex Junction;
His four great-grandchildren:
Amanda Stell, Michael Stell, Vanessa Halbig, and Jenna Stell;
His sister-in-law Gertrude Ziegler of Germany;
His cousin Waltraud Rotweiller of Germany;
And his nieces and nephews:
Bridget Loetterle, Helen Lannigan, Fred Loetterle, Martin Loetterle, Patricia O'Leary, and Joseph Loetterle.
He is also predeceased by:
His daughter Elfriede Halbig;
Two brothers: Hans & Rolf Ziegler.
There are no public visiting hours. A funeral service will be held at the Second Congregational Church in Jeffersonville on Thursday August 13, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Arrangements are by John D. Workman, A. W. Rich Funeral Home – Fairfax Chapel 1176 Main St. Fairfax, VT 05454. The family invites you to share your memories and online condolences by directly visiting www.awrichfuneralhomes.com (http://www.awrichfuneralhomes.com) .