John Zigler

ZIGLER, John Hiram, a resident of the Bridgewater Retirement Community, died Tuesday, April 13, 2010 after a short illness. He was 94. The son of the Rev. Isaac N. Zigler and Mattie Roller Zigler, he was born on the Zigler homestead near Broadway, Va., and reared at Belmont in Spotsylvania County. He is survived by his wife, Hardenia Click Zigler; his brother, Jacob S. Zigler of Bridgewater; and brother-in-law, Dr. G. Wayne Glick of Lancaster, Pa. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Nanci June Zigler; and his sister, Barbara Zigler Glick. Mr. Zigler graduated from Bridgewater College in 1939 and went on to do graduate work at Purdue University, Ohio State University, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech. He taught math, science and vocational agriculture in the public schools of Spotsylvania and Lunenburg counties before joining the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation in 1955. He served as field services director for the Farm Bureau in Southside Virginia, then moved to the Richmond office where he worked in various posts, including editor of the Virginia Farm Bureau News and as staff advisor for local government and natural resources. He retired in 1978 and moved to Weyers Cave, the birthplace of his wife, Hardenia. In his early years of retirement, he was retained by the Farm Bureau to write a history of the Federation, which was published in 1982. Active in public affairs, Mr. Zigler was appointed by Gov. Mills E. Godwin as a representative for agriculture on the Emergency Resources Management Commission and he was a founding member of the committee that organized the Conservation Council of Virginia. He served twice as a member of the Virginia Legislative Advisory Council. An active churchman, he was a certified lay speaker in the Farmville District of the United Methodist Church. He taught adult Bible classes for many years, including at Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren in Weyers Cave, where he has been a member since 1978. Mr. Zigler was an avid fisherman, hunter and golfer. He was a member of the Soil Conservation Society of America and a lifelong member of Ruritan National. A memorial service will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren in Weyers Cave, with Rev. Matthew Fike officiating. The family will greet friends and relatives in the fellowship hall following the service. A private burial in the church cemetery will precede the service. Friends may call at the residence at any time. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Nanci Zigler Endowed Scholarship Fund at Virginia Wesleyan College, 1584 Wesleyan Drive, Norfolk, Va. 23502-5599. Online condolences can be sent to the Zigler family at www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.