Paul Zigman
March 10, 1924 - December 10, 2020
Los Angeles native Paul E. Zigman died on Dec. 10, 2020. He was 96.
The eldest son of Fernand and Rose Zigman, Mr. Zigman was raised in a close-knit Jewish immigrant family, an experience that resulted in a defining devotion to relatives. The first in his family to attend college, Mr. Zigman went to UCLA on the GI bill after serving in World War II. He received a degree in chemistry. His love for learning led him back to classes at UCLA almost 70 years later in retirement.
After receiving his degree, Mr. Zigman worked for the National Radiological Defense Laboratory (NRDL) in San Francisco as part of a cuttingedge research team that studied the human and environmental devastation of nuclear weapons. His duties included observing, gathering, analyzing and reporting on data at nuclear bomb test sites in the Bikini Islands. Mr. Zigman’s experiences there left an indelible mark.
Upon the closure of NRDL in 1969, Mr. Zigman and two other scientists founded Environmental Science Associates, the first organization of its kind to prepare environmental impact reports. Under his leadership as President, the company grew and prospered. When he retired in 2000, Mr. Zigman turned over ownership to employees, who continue to operate the still-robust firm that has grown to more than 20 offices.
Mr. Zigman was always forward-thinking and modeled progressive values for his children and grandchildren. He was an early opponent of the Vietnam War, a vehement supporter of civil rights, and an environmental science leader. Drawn to projects that demonstrated genius and artistry, Mr. Zigman worked with Christo in the early 1980s as part of the Surrounded Islands project in Miami, Florida. His firm had previously prepared the environmental impact report for the artist’s Running Fences project in Marin.
Whether it was organizing events to paint exteriors at family members’ houses, arranging memorable family trips to Greece and Italy, or creating meaningful gifts, Mr. Zigman focused on providing experiences that brought the people he loved together. A woodworker who also dabbled in ceramics, in his last years he was fond of building shadow box art depicting whimsical scenes that he gave to family members. His devotion also extended to animals, particularly dogs, for whom he had a special affinity.
Highly respected and deeply loved by his friends and family, Mr. Zigman was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Shirley Rothstein, and his brother-in-law Arthur Rothstein. He is survived by his children Andrea Zigman (Ted Scharf) and Eric Zigman (Julia Chiapella), grandchildren Robin Scharf (Leigh Tami) and Emma Zigman, brother Robert Zigman (Eileen Zigman), dear friend Wendy Lockwood (Todd Small), ex-wife Marcia Zigman with whom he remained close, nieces and nephews Andrew Rothstein (Agatha Wirth), Harold Rothstein, Adriane Rothstein (Mark Billy), Charles Zigman, Alyse Zigman, Felicia Zigman, grandniece Anna Billy and grandnephew Noah Zigman.
A celebration of life is planned for sometime later this year. Donations in his name may be made to animal rights organizations or the Democratic Party.