Gilbert F. Zitzelsberger

Gilbert F. “Gib” Zitzelsberger, age 93, passed away on February 2, 2026. He was born July 1, 1932, in the Town of Stockbridge, the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Bloechl) Zitzelsberger. He was the youngest of 11 children. Gilbert is a veteran of the U.S. Army from 1956-1958. He worked at Badger Northland for 26 years.

He was quite the handyman and could fix anything. He loved to spend time in his shop tinkering and building things. Gib enjoyed good old country and polka music. He met his wife, Shirley Frahm while dancing at the Cinderella Ballroom, and they married at St Therese Catholic Church in Appleton on October 21, 1961. Together they celebrated 60 years of marriage at the time of Shirley’s passing in 2021. He was a member of St Mary Catholic Church, Menasha for over 50 years. In his later years, he enjoyed bringing vegetables to his neighbors while taking his daily tour of the neighborhood in his trusty golf cart and stopping at the shop to feed and pet his cat named Cow.

Gilbert is survived by 4 children: John (Brenda) Zitzelsberger and his daughters, Ashley (Nick) Krepline and Emily (Aaron) Zenner; Linda (Greg) Seiler and their children Andrew (Christina) Seiler and Jessica Seiler; Kathy (Ned) Lownik and their children Megan (Jonathon) Stuart and Matthew (Yifan) Lownik; Terry (Theresa) Zitzelsberger and their daughters Madelyn and Eleanor Zitzelsberger. In addition, he is survived by 6 great grandchildren: Rowan, Beckett, Everett, Saylor, Kinsley, and Zander; his cat Cow; and other relatives, neighbors and friends.

Gilbert was preceded in death by his wife Shirley; his parents Joseph and Mary; his 9 brothers and sisters-in-law: Lawrence (Viola), Joseph (Adeline), Adolph (Marion), Tony (Cele), Alex (Libby), Louie (Margaret), Leo (Violet), Lester and Nobert (Mavis); a sister Agnes (Paul) Schaefer; parents-in-law Walter and Theresa Frahm; and brother-in-law Walter Frahm, Jr.

A funeral mass for Gilbert will take place on Friday February 20, 2026, at 11:00am, at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 528 2nd Street, Menasha, friends and family may gather at the church from 9:00am until mass begins. Gilbert will be laid to rest at St Mary’s Cemetery, Menasha.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund will be established.

Special thanks to the staff at Willow Lane Assisted Living and the nurses at ThedaCare Appleton for the care provided.