Carl ‘Sonny’ Zigler, Sun mailroom worker

Carl “Sonny” Zigler, a retired Baltimore Sun mailroom worker and a decorated Vietnam War veteran, died in his sleep Tuesday at his Finksburg home. He was 79.

Carl Zigler, son of Albert Zigler, and his wife Sybile Loucks Zigler, farmers, was born in Grottoes, Virginia, and later moved to Baltimore.

A Milford Mill High School graduate, Mr. Sigler joined the Army in 1964 and was a 1965 graduate of the airborne course at Fort Benning, Georgia. He served as a sharpshooter in Vietnam with the 82nd Airborne Division.

Discharged in 1970, Mr. Sigler’s decorations included the Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Sharpshooter Marksman Badge M-14, Vietnam Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

After leaving the Army, Mr. Zigler went to work in 1972 in the mailroom of The Sun at its former headquarters on North Calvert Street. He retired in 2003.

He was an active lifetime member of the

American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mr. Zigler enjoyed crabbing, fishing, boating, hunting, billiards and thoroughbred horse racing. “He was also a huge fan of Budwesier beer,” said his daughter, Laurie Hartman of Potomac. “He was a kind and loving man, husband, father, and grandfather. We will miss his positive presence in our lives, but he’ll always be in our hearts.”

A celebration-of-life gathering will be held May 15 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at American Legion Post 116, 1090 Westminster Pike, in Reisterstown.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Zigler is survived by his wife of a year, the former Pamela Franey; two sons, Steven Zigler of Sargent, Texas, and Joseph Caplan of Littleton, North Carolina; a stepson, James Zuelch of Westminster and Jason Zuelch of Finksburg; and eight grandchildren. His first wife of 35 years, the former Joan Hecht, died in 2004.