He passed peacefully surrounded by his loving family.
Greg was born on November 28, 1947 in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, a son of John Robert Zihlman and Millicent Olson.
He married Camille David on September 1, 2002 in Dallas, Texas. He is survived by his wife: Camille Zihlman of Dallas.
He is also survived by two daughters: Kerry (husband Chris) Lehr of Eagan, Minnesota, and Amanda (husband Curt) Rosequist of Frisco, Texas.
Three grandchildren: Jackson Rosequist 19, Grayson Rosequist 16 and Ronan Lehr 9.
He is also survived by his sister: Christine Mertens of Salem, Iowa, and brother: Keith (wife Lana) Zihlman of Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Greg grew up in the Swedesburg, Iowa and was a confirmed member of the Swedesburg Lutheran Church. He graduated from Waco High School in Olds, Iowa in 1966. Wile in high school he was gifted his first guitar and fell in love with the art of playing the guitar. He could play by ear and loved listening to the Chicago radio stations in bed at night as a child to learn the music of his favorite country artists of that time. He started his first band playing and touring around the small towns in Iowa along with playing numerous high school weekend dances. Greg was an avid collector of guitars and in retirement would buy and sell his beloved guitars.
In 1967 he enlisted the Army National Guard and earned citations as a sharpshooter and marksman. The Zihlman name translates in the Swiss language as “Marksman”; therefore, Greg was destined to be a “Marksman” as well as the entire Zihlman family being great Marksman themselves. Greg was honorably discharged in 1971 from the Army National Guard. He proudly served his country.
When he was a child, he desperately wanted to be a real cowboy, but music became his passion instead; however, he never lost his love of the old Western Hollywood movies.
Greg was a long-time wholesale furniture representative traveling the country. He represented various lines and prior to retirement was working for Emerald Home Furnishings and Ashley Home as a Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Western part of the United States. Along the way, due to Greg’s outgoing, dynamic and gregarious personality, he developed strong life-long relationships that he still considered as his extended family.
While living in Los Angeles, Greg started the New Millennium Blues Band (NMBB) with Delbert Taylor a Grammy Award winning artist and quickly gathered ex Ray Charles band members as his key players. They toured the L.A. area playing large gigs and entertaining as well as recording a CD of all of Greg’s original Blues music that he composed. Once Greg married Camille and moved to Dallas, he then started The Trinity River Blues Band (TRB2) and played around Dallas area including his famous annual Mardis Gras gig at his dear friend’s restaurant at Dodie’s Seafood. Greg was known in the music industry as Z-man and all of his personal guitars were all autographed with his famous signature.
Greg lived life to the fullest and loved the Lord. Greg would always pray for others first before praying for himself. Greg loved his family, loved life and his dear friends and most importantly adored his wife, daughters and grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home located at 7990 George Bush Turnpike, Dallas, Texas 75252.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, July 5, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Prestonwood Baptist Chapel, located at 6801 West Park Blvd, Plano, Texas 75093.
Burial will follow at Ridgeview West Memorial Park in Frisco.
Ted Dickey West Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas has charge of arrangements.
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