Obituaries
Michael J. Ziegler, 85
August 19, 2024
Michael J. Ziegler, 85, of Lancaster, passed away on August 19, 2024, at the Willow Valley Glen among his loved ones and Hospice Care. He was the son of Ruth Schlosser Ziegler and Howard Ziegler of York, Pa., where Mike was raised. He is survived by his wife Susan C. Ziegler, son Hans Ziegler and sons by marriage, Chris Dietrich and Scott Dietrich (Jacquelyn). He is also survived by his beloved granddaughters, Sunny and Violet Dietrich, sister Helenita Ziegler, brother-in-law Richard Myers and five nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Rebecca Myers.
Mike developed a love of broadcasting as a teenager in York riding his bike to a radio station to do odd jobs. He was a proud graduate of Penn State University majoring in speech and was in the Army, both active and reserves, for six years. He served public radio and public TV stations in Charlotte, N.C. and in W.V., and was COO of WITF in Hershey, PA from 1970-1980. Mike then moved to Binghamton, N.Y. where he worked as CEO/General Manager of WSKG for 20 years. He passionately helped build a broad network of public radio and public TV stations across the Southern Tier. He was proud that during his tenure Ithaca had more NPR listeners per capita than anywhere in the country! Mike served as chairman of the NYS Public Broadcasters Association for many years and was nominated for an Emmy.
Mike was a committed contributor on numerous boards and president of several: The American Cancer Society, Harper Forum, Binghamton Philharmonic. He was a member of Rotary Club, part of the Unitarian Universalist Church congregation of Lancaster and volunteered at Strasburg Rail Road. Mike was committed to lifelong learning and believed knowledge-seeking was the obligation of every citizen. He was an avid reader, absorbed The New York Times and the New Yorker magazine weekly. He was also an avid history buff on topics ranging from trains to local history and genealogy. At Willow Valley he was involved with the Apple Users Group, Camera Club, the Bike Club and had a vibrant vegetable garden.
To know Mike was to love him. He will be dearly missed by his family and many friends.
In memory of Michael Ziegler, donations may be sent to Willow Valley Communities Foundation for the Memory Care Center, 100 Willow Valley Lakes Drive, Willow Street, PA 17584 or Hospice & Community Care, 685 Good Drive, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
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Condolences to the Family
August 28, 2024
I knew and worked with Mike for almost 20 years at WSKG; he was a great person and so supportive of public broadcasting, and especially of those of us in the PubRadio department. I’m sorry for your loss; condolences to Sue and all the family.
Donna Hill
August 27, 2024
Mike,
We will miss you in body, but know you are still right here in spirit. Thank you so much for the wonderful conversations and your warmth and wisdom. Also thanks for keeping the Volvo alive during the Connestee winters! We wish you the best in the next phase of your journey.
Blessings,
Jim Thompson
August 26, 2024
Mike and Sue were among our best friends when we all lived at Connestee Falls in Brevard, NC. We have such fond memories of Mike and count ourselves grateful to still be friends with Sue. When we visited them in their current home, we got to visit the Strasburg Rail Road where Mike volunteered. It was Mike’s love of life that we most remember, as he always had a smile for us, and exuded kindness. I know Sue knows that his love will always be with her, even though he has shed his ‘human suit’. The real Mike that was enjoying a visit to have an Earth Experience is still right here with us, if we just tune in to him. He would enjoy the analogy that communicating with him now that he is back in his natural vibrational state, unencumbered by the physical limits and barriers of a human body, is a lot like tuning in the radio or TV to the right frequency. Mike we know you are here, and though we miss the manifestation of you in a human suit, we are honored to be part of your soul group, and we know we will be with you one day when we are free of our human suits. In the meantime, we’ll do our best to tune into your presence (like your nudge to make the analogy to tuning into radio or TV that just popped into my head – no doubt with a nudge from you!). Love you, Mike, and we love Sue and we cherish having had both of you in our lives in CF for that time, but you never left our lives.
Nancy Thompson
August 25, 2024
Mike was a wonderful summer neighbor at Farley’s Point, always gregarious and positive. He also led the WSKG family of radio and television stations to increase coverage to rural parts of upstate New York. We were blessed to know him and call him “friend.”
Jaye B Fish
