Zgibor

John Zgibor, 82, of Butler passed away Sunday at Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Born Sept. 21, 1926, in Butler, he was the son of the late Michael and Mary Danchi Zgibor.

John graduated from Butler High School in 1944 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duquesne University in 1951. He also earned a master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1963.

Mr. Zgibor was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the 152nd Field Artillery of the 43rd Infantry Division. He was a member of the VFW Post 249 in Butler and the American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora.

John taught sixth grade at the Oakland Township Elementary School and was an elementary school principal in the Butler School District for many years, retiring in 1989.

He was a distinguished athlete in the Butler area and was inducted into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. John played football in high school but reached his peak in the grid sports during the 1940s to 1950s while playing for the Butler Cubs in which he was selected MVP for both football and basketball. He also was a playing manager of six city softball teams, which had gone to numerous notable tournaments.

John had always been physically active and was a lifelong member of the YMCA. Even after he retired, he competed in the Silver Sneakers group and other basketball leagues at the Y.

He was a member of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora and of the Loyal Order of Moose No. 64 in Butler.

His wife, Katherine Stefura Zgibor, whom he married Sept. 12, 1953, survives. Also surviving are his sons, Jan Michael Zgibor of Dallas, Texas, and Guy Zgibor, his wife, Janice, and their children, Jennifer and Derek, of Pittsburgh; his daughter, Anita English, her husband, Jeff, and their children, Garret and Phillip, of Butler; and his sister, Sue Tarcha, of Hermitage. A niece and nephews also survive him.

John was preceded in death by his brother, Michael, and his sisters, Mary, Helen and Julie (Dunlap) Zgibor.

<B>ZGIBOR </B> Friends of John Zgibor, who died Sunday, April 5, 2009, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>,<B> </B>201 E. Cunningham St. Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with Abbot Leo Schlosser, pastor of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, officiating. Interment will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.