On February 15, 2019, Marie Zigler left this life, sleeping quietly in her own bed in her own home, in Fort Wayne. In her last few moments, she heard the laughter of loved ones who were gathered round her bed, recounting many joyful times they experienced with her.
Marie was born in on August 25, 1925 to Blanche and John L. Scheirbeck in Wilton North Dakota. She was the second of the nine children. Times were seldom easy for the Scheirbeck family during the Great Depression, but they were never short of love or fun. Marie’s mother was raised on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota and the Scheirbeck family enjoyed spending time there.
In 1948, Marie took a job teaching in a one-room school house in Capa, South Dakota. One morning early that fall, she was filling a bucket of water for the school when a young cowboy named Bob rolled up in his army surplus jeep, taking his kid sister Shirley to school. As he dropped Shirley off, he saw Marie about to lug a heavy bucket of water over to the school house and offered to carry it for her. Marie liked that idea quite well and she was intrigued by the look of this handsome young man in his jeans, cowboy boots and hat. On their first date, he took her hunting for pheasants along the Bad River. They found no pheasants that day. They may have been too busy falling in love.
Marie spent many happy hours at the Zigler ranch getting acquainted with Bob’s family. Late one evening after a pleasant day out at the ranch, they drove back to Capa. The moon was so full, Bob turned off his headlights. The two lovers could see hundreds of rabbits dancing and playing in the bright night. It was a sight they never forgot.
By Christmas 1948, Bob’s love for Marie was so deep that he couldn’t imagine ever parting from her. He went to his knees and said “Would you marry a cowboy?” Marie wasted no time saying “YES!” The next year they were married. Children and pleasant years followed, all filled with love. Bob and Marie raised their children in Holland Michigan, living there for 30 years. They have lived in Fort Wayne since 1985.
Marie was a life-long artist with a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Grand Valley State University. Over her long life, she created many beautiful works that will be cherished for many years. Marie also loved to teach art and many people were happy to learn from what she knew.
She was also an avid rock hunter, a passion she shared with both her father and her husband. She was an active member of Tulip City Rock Club of Holland, Michigan and later the Three Rivers Rock Club of Fort Wayne. Marie created the Tulip City Rock Club bulletin, “The Conglomerate” and later was editor of “Strata Data,” the Three River’s monthly bulletin, for which she won national awards that recognized her creative publications and art work.
Marie’s last months were not easy. Age stripped her down to her essence and at the very end there wasn’t much left of her old life beyond her love of people and her art. She never stopped loving and she never stopped creating. She was still teaching art to people she loved in her very last weeks of life.
After Marie passed, many people called to tell her family how much they were going to miss her,
often saying that her kindness changed their lives for the better.
Marie is survived by her brother, Dick (Betty) Scheirbeck; her beloved husband, Robert Zigler; daughters, Melissa (John) Schilke of Middletown, Conn., Melinda (Norm) Brazell of Cave Junction, Ore., and Cheryl Zigler of Plainwell, Mich.; and sons, Rob “Bobby” (Mary Stahl) Zigler of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Steve (Joann Bipes) Zigler of Melrose, Wis.; seven treasured grandchildren, Daniel, Annika, Will, Molly, Erik, Erin and Torin; and son-in-law, Bill Lenahan. Marie nurtured and loved many more and they too consider her a mother.
Memorial Service is 2pm on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at Praise Lutheran Church, 1115 W. Dupont Rd., Fort Wayne, Ind., with calling one hour prior. Memorials may be made to Visiting Nurse Hospice Home. www.hockemeyermillerfh.com.
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