Grace Zilles

Grace Hirt Zilles, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother died early Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the age of 100. She was a life-long resident of Riley Township. Grace was born to Lewis S. and Clara (Werth) Hirt on September 5, 1909. She married Walter E. Zilles on November 23, 1930 at St. Pauls Lutheran Church, Toledo, Ohio, by Dr. Henry F. Schul. Walter died April 17, 1998.

Grace and Walter were both 1927 graduates of Fremont High School. She participated in many athletic activities including basketball and baseball. She attended Bowling Green University where she prepared for a teaching career having taught in Riley and York Townships. Her family, church, and teaching became her life-long interests.

She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church having been confirmed there by Dr. Walter Eugene Tressel, and was a member of the Womens Hope Missionary Circle. She was a member of the Ohio Retired Teachers Association, Sandusky County Retired Teachers Association, the Sandusky County Farm Bureau, the Nifty Neighbors Farm Bureau Council, the Sandusky County Historical Society, and Riley Reapers Farm Womens Club.

Survivors include daughters, Nancy Leiser of Fremont, Shirley Brodbelt of Timonium, MD, Barbara (John) Cole of Ukiah, CA, and Mary (Ken) Manifold of Dayton, OH; sister, Ruth Peffly; brother-in-law, James Diedrich; eighteen grandchildren; thirty-two great-grandchildren; ten great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Grace was preceded in death by her parents; daughters, Kay Zilles and Gwendolyn Dunster; twin sons, Joseph and John Zilles; sons-in-law, Leon Joe Leiser and Samuel Brodbelt; sisters, Freda Brugger, Helen Hiebel, and Marion Diedrich; and brothers, Lawrence, Julius, Alfred, Jess, and Russell Hirt.

Services will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, Fremont at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. Pastor Paul Gruetter will officiate. Visitation for Grace will start prior to the service, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Church. Burial will follow at Oak Wood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Lutheran Church, or to Hospice of Memorial Hospital.