Gary A. Ziegler

Gary Alan Ziegler, 63, died peacefully Friday, February 13th 2015 surrounded by his loved ones. He was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1951 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Beverly Joy Berry and Romie Gene Holder. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Ziegler; his children, Jeffery Flowers, Beverly Ziegler, Paul Ziegler, Alana Ziegler, Catherine Ziegler; grandchildren Maya and William Flowers; sister, Karen Rose; brother, Gene Holder; step mother, Linda Holder; in-laws, Willard and Joyce Emery; plus numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members. While in high school at Will Rogers, Gary played trumpet and was the captain of the swim team. He attended Oklahoma State University and was on the swim team his freshman year. He also committed to the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp. He graduated OSU with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with honors. Gary was then awarded Commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He was a pilot for three different jets during his term at Altus Air Force Base with the Strategic Air Command. After the Vietnam War ended, he received his Honorable Discharge and returned to Tulsa. While in college, Gary discovered his true talent as a competitive cyclist. Racing bicycles was his passion. In the late 1970’s and the early 1980’s he was on the best racing team in the United States. He held seven national time trial records from ten miles up to one hundred and fifty miles. He was on the US National Team for two years and qualified for and raced in three Olympic Trials. In later years as a master’s rider over thirty five years of age, he won silver and bronze medals in multiple master’s national championships and world championships. In 2010, at the age of fifty-eight, he finally won his National Championship gold with the Stars and Stripes jersey. For the past twenty years he was sponsored by OKC Velo, a well-known regional master’s cycling team. He did take off twelve years from the racing scene to help Lisa raise their four young children. When all the children were finally attending full time school, he found that he again had the time and energy to train and race. In 1992, he married the love of his life, Lisa Ziegler. They had four children and were proud of their many academic achievements, first at St. Pius X School, then at Carver Middle School, Booker T. Washington, Tulsa Tech Pre-Engineering and Rockhurst University in Kansas City. The most recent family accomplishment was Catherine’s acceptance as a viola player at Tulsa Youth Symphony. Gary had high standards for life and encouraged his children to succeed in their own passions. Professionally, Gary was an Oklahoma Licensed Alarm & Locksmith Manager. He founded and ran his own company, Black Dog Alarm Systems. The company became a well-known Tulsa home security and car alarm company. He sold it after twenty years. Gary and Lisa started a small real estate investment company in which they bought, remodeled, and sold residential properties. Gary’s attention to detail in the remodel process was extraordinary. He was awarded a Historic Preservation award from the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service and the Tulsa Preservation Commission for work completed at craftsman bungalow and carriage house residence in Brady Heights Historic District in Tulsa. Gary has continued to manage family rental property as a fair and dependable landlord. When the real estate market slowed, Gary and Lisa went to petroleum Landman School and then worked as Landsmen for two years. Then two years ago they became a Lease Consultant team for the cell phone tower business, negotiating for the tower owners with the landowners. In 2014, he and Lisa were one of the top five Lease Consultants for the national company they represented. This was his second favorite job ever, second to being a jet pilot. One of Gary’s favorite hobbies was raising, training, and showing Doberman Pinchers. He showed in obedience, conformation, tracking, agility and protection competitions. He was a member of the Companion Dog School and a charter member of The Tulsa Schutzhand Club. Gary also managed and oversaw the Doberman Rescue Service of Tulsa for ten years, rescuing abandoned Dobermans and housing and finding new homes for nearly two hundred dogs. He formed a remarkable bond with many of the beautiful, intelligent breed. During college he learned the Transcendental Meditation technique, and continued his practice by taking advanced courses through the following years. He found it a very stabilizing influence over his life and shared this practice with his family. While raising his children, he coached his four youngest in soccer at Tulsa United Soccer Club. He was a member of St. Pius X Church and Church of The Resurrection. In recent years, Gary also started rehabilitating and racing sailboats with his family. He was a member of Spindrift Sailing Club at Lake Oologah, Oklahoma. He loved to fly the bright colored spinnaker across the lake on breezy Oklahoma days. Gary was also an avid vegetable gardener and raised backyard chickens with his children. He loved the healthy benefits of both. Overall, Gary was an incredible family man. He fathered a beautiful family of four children and was recently united with his eldest son, Jef Flowers, along with Jef’s wife, Liz Kamunyu, and their two children, Maya and William Flowers. Jef and Gary formed a quick and loving bond. Gary left a mark on the lives of all he met, as a husband, father, coach, friend, and teammate. He will be missed beyond words. The Celebration of Gary’s life is as follows: Prayer Vigil, 7:30 PM Friday and Mass of Christian Burial, Saturday, 10:00 AM. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. Donations can be deposited at any Tulsa Bank of America or mailed to: Bank of America, 515 S. Boulder Ave., Tulsa, OK 74103. Lisa Ziegler, #4460 (In Memory of Gary Ziegler) Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 918-291-3500

Gary A. Ziegler

November 22, 1951 - February 13, 2015