Michael Zirkle

1950 - 2021

Michael Zirkle
July 9, 1950 - July 15, 2021
Raleigh, North Carolina - Michael Roy Zirkle, 71, of Raleigh, NC, passed away on July 15, 2021. He was preceded in death by his father, John Franklin Zirkle; mother, Janet Wampler Zirkle; sister, Laura Anne Zirkle Barry; and his beloved wife of thirty years, Mary Gail Walker. He is survived by his nephew, Michael Campbell Barry, Sr. (Shannon), nieces Anne Wesley Barry and Laura Whitney Barry, and great nephew Michael Campbell Barry, Jr., all of Richmond, Virginia; cousins, Betty Dove, Nancy and Bob Wiskeman of Harrisonburg, VA, and Peggy Bryan of Bridgewater, VA. Michael is also survived by a close community of friends. He cherished the relationships he built within the Boylan Heights community and throughout Raleigh. Michael was a graduate of Harrisonburg High School in Virginia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering management from University of Missouri. He was a gifted and passionate photographer who was able to capture candid and detailed images throughout his life. His photographs appeared in numerous publications across the country and one of his most well known pieces was the iconic series of Halloween pumpkins on the Boylan Bridge. He produced work for the North Carolina Symphony for over 25 years and also worked for Duke Magazine, Bayer Corporation, and taught photography classes at NCSU. Michael loved walking around Lake Johnson, visiting with friends at CupAJoe, and listening to live and recorded music, especially the Grateful Dead. His good humor and kindness will be greatly missed. A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, August 20, 2021 at Raymond Lanier Memorial Park, 301 Kinsey Street, Raleigh, NC at 6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to: Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina or Amnesty International.