M. Douglas Zoller

After leaving his family dairy farm and graduating from West Winfield High School, Doug was trained as an educator at State University of New York at Oneonta before entering military service during the Korean War and for a second tour during the Cuban Missile Crisis, completing his education after his discharge under the GI Bill. Doug completed advanced graduate training at Syracuse University, where he was an avid and life-long fan of the Orangemen. Doug was a teacher of science and math and later entered administration rising through the ranks over a 30-year career to Assistant Principal, Principal and ultimately serving as Superintendent at several prominent school systems in upstate New York including Adirondack Central School and Seneca Falls Central School.

Doug was a naturalist and outdoorsman, complemented by a lifelong passion for woodcarving, primarily of songbirds and waterfowl, with 647 individual carvings to his credit. Several of his sculptural carvings adorned trophies for the New York State Woodsman Field Days, served as awards at Paul Smith’s College and presented as a gift to the Governor of New York. Doug was an active fan of sports of all kinds and loved to play golf and fish with his children and grandchildren. Doug actively followed College basketball and football and remained a steadfast and longtime fan of the Baltimore Orioles.

Doug was both a servant leader and a man of God. He was active in his life with Kiwanis International, where he served as Club President, the Salvation Army, the Gideons and was an active member of his home church, King of Glory Lutheran Church in Williamsburg and New Kent, Virginia. He helped, as a volunteer to build the King of Glory sanctuary and tended to its grounds for a number of years.

He married the love of his life, Dolores Boss Zoller on August 21, 1953 and this last August Doug and Dolores celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Doug and Dolores’ children include Greg Zoller and his wife Martha of Fayette, New York, Vicki Zoller-Crossan of Williamsburg, Virginia and Ted and Allison Zoller of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Doug was a proud grandfather to Jake Zoller, Justin Breen, Leah Perrine, Sarah Zoller, Shawna Hawkins, Mike Geary, James Zoller, Courtney Zoller and Katherine Zoller; and great-grandchildren, Emily, Aiden, MacKenzie, Nate, and Zoe who he dearly loved. Doug was also very close to Alida "Ellie” Dolata of Philadelphia, his younger sister and sole surviving sibling, with Rollin ‘Red’ Zoller and Ken Zoller, his brothers, who predeceased Doug.

He is inurned at the King of Glory Lutheran Church in Williamsburg Virginia, where he contributed to the building of the church and memorial garden in which he was laid to rest surrounded by his family. His loss will be both mourned and his life celebrated by his family and all whose hearts he touched.

Condolences may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com.