George Edward Zeigler, Jr.

George Edward Zeigler, Jr. age 100, passed away on Saturday, December 29, 2018 in Charlotte after a brief illness.

A private burial will take place on Saturday, January 5, 2019, followed by a memorial service at 11 am at Fair Funeral Home Chapel, Eden, NC. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the Morehead-Fair House.

Mr. Zeigler was born in Thomasville, GA and was educated in the public schools of Thomasville and Columbus, North Georgia College, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.  He was always proud of being a "rambling wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer." After graduation in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve and was sent to Naval Architecture School, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.  During World War II he served in shipyards in Norfolk and Baltimore where he rose to shipyard project superintendent and the rank of Lieutenant Commander.  After the war he was part of Operation Crossroads in the South Pacific.

Leaving the Navy in 1946, Mr. Zeigler settled in Charlotte where he began his professional career at The Kendall Company and met his future wife, Betty Masters, in Sunday School at Myers Park Baptist Church. They married in 1951 and were married for 55 years until Betty's death in 2006.  In 1963, he accepted a position in the engineering department at Fieldcrest Mills at which time, George, Betty, and their two daughters relocated to Eden. Before his retirement in 1982, he was Director of Mechanical Research and Development. While in this position he developed textile machinery that resulted in two patents registered with the US Patent Office.

He was a lifelong Baptist and a member of First Baptist Church in Eden where he served in various capacities, most notably as chair of the Building and Grounds Committee in the 1970s, when considerable repair work was necessary to preserve the historic sanctuary.

After his retirement, George and Betty enjoyed traveling with old friends from the Navy, and most importantly, supervising the upbringing of their grandchildren.  George also volunteered for Meals on Wheels and successfully tackled many projects at home.  After Betty's death, George moved to a retirement community in Charlotte to be close to his brother Jack and his youngest daughter Mary. There he made many friends, many of whom had a naval or Georgia Tech connection. He continued to be a fan of golf, Georgia Tech sports, and Atlanta Braves baseball and became an avid fan of the Carolina Panthers and NASCAR racing.

He is survived by his daughters, Sally Zeigler Thomas of Raleigh and Mary Zeigler Ferreira (Gary) of Matthews, NC; grandchildren Elizabeth Thomas, Andrew Sessions, and Ashley Johnston (Chris); sister, Sarah Martha Edwards of Thomasville, GA, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, George Edward and Christine Hjort Zeigler; wife, Betty M. Zeigler; brother, Jack M. Zeigler; sister, Christine Z. Daniel, and son-in-law, Mark S. Thomas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Zeigler’s memory to the Georgia Tech Foundation Inc., c/o Engineering Alumni and mailed to Georgia Institute of Technology, Office of Development, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0220. 

Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com.