CRAIG/FLAGLER PALMS FUNERAL HOME
511 Old Kings Road South
Flagler Beach, Florida

Dorothy M. Zirkelbach

Dorothy M. Zirkelbach passed away at her home the morning of May 18th with her children by her side. She had recently celebrated her 96th birthday with her family.

Dorothy, Dot to most, was born in Queens, New York on May 4, 1925, daughter of Anna and William Gross. She grew up in Queens with her sister, Anne. She married Fred Zirkelbach on December 27th, 1947 during one of the worst snow storms ever to hit the city. Dot and Fred went on to raise a family first in Melville, New York, then in Northport, New York. In 1970, they moved the family to Madison, Connecticut where they lived until 1984. Upon retiring, Dot and Fred moved to Palm Coast, Florida.

Dot liked to keep busy and worked hard at home and at her jobs. As a young woman, she began working as a bank teller in New York. As family came along, Dot continued to work finding jobs typing envelopes as well as doing office work. She worked for many years at the George C. Field Co. in Madison, CT. Upon moving to Palm Coast, she worked for Coast/Sun Trust Bank. Dot often joked that she wanted to be in the Guiness Book of Records as the Oldest Living Bank Teller for her 20 years of service with Coast/SunTrust Bank before her retirement at the age of 79.

One could call Dot an extraordinary wordsmith. She was an avid reader and was a frequent visitor to the library. She was a library volunteer and was a member and treasurer of the Friends of the Library for the Flagler County Library in Palm Coast. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, especially the Sunday puzzle doing them in pen, albeit erasable! Dot was an amazing Scrabble player and played often. She participated in games through the Scrabble Club in Palm Coast. Most play, however, was with her son and daughter and daughter – in – law. Dot was also a creative poet, writing meaningful poems for special family occasions.

Dorothy also enjoyed traveling and visited Italy and Mexico as well as many places in the United States. In her later years, she would often take bus trips with friends.

Dot is predeceased by her husband, Frederick Zirkelbach and her sister and brother- in- law, Anne and Norman Howell. She is survived by her three children and their families: son, Richard Zirkelbach, and his partner, Leslie Zebel of West Palm Beach, grandson Matthew Zirkelbach and his wife Gaida and their children Alex and Evan, and granddaughter Danielle and her partner, Shayden and their son, Imua; daughter, Jan Zirkelbach Firmin of Swanzey, NH, grandson Joshua Firmin and his children Molly, Kliness and Maggie, grandson Ryan Firmin and his wife, Heather Firmin and their children Violet and Vivian, granddaughter Jillian Firmin and her partner, Scott Cable; Son, William Zirkelbach and his wife, Michelle of Ormond Beach and granddaughter, Mariah and her partner Jordan McKenna and grandson, Adam. Dorothy was the glue that kept the family together and she will be missed.

Granddaughter Danielle Zirkelbach of Hawaii summed it up best: “. . . She lived a long, beautiful life and left behind a proud family that will move forward holding her presence strongly into their daily lives. . . “

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 29 at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home in Palm Coast at 10:00 AM.