Gloria Nutbrown Zirkle's Obituary
Gloria Ann Nutbrown Zirkle, age 84 of Jefferson Hills, PA, formerly of Pleasant Hills, PA, passed away peacefully on August 13, 2025, at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh surrounded by her adoring husband, children, and siblings.
Gloria was born in Pittsburgh on March 28, 1941, the daughter of the late Emanuel W. and Mary D. Nutbrown of Collier Township PA and was the beloved wife of Delbert Jack Zirkle for 58 wonderful years; loving mother of Robert S. Zirkle and Melanie R. (James) Gillot; and cherished grandmother of J. Marino, Melina M., and Gino D. Gillot, all of Jefferson Hills PA. She is also survived by her sister Joyce R. (David) Corkery and brother Henry M. (Susan) Nutbrown, both of Collier Township PA, and a niece and many nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews spread across the United States.
Gloria was raised on a farm in Collier Township PA, outside Rennerdale, with her beloved pony "Major" and dog "Pal." Gloria graduated from Carnegie High School in 1959 and earned a baccalaureate degree in education at an accelerated pace in 3 years from Clarion Teachers College in 1962. She subsequently received a Master of Education in school counseling from The Pennsylvania State University, main campus, in 1965, where she met her husband. She taught elementary education starting in 1962 and continued for over 30 years for the Chartiers Valley (3rd grade) and South Park School Districts, the latter at their Library (1st grade) and then Broughton (3rd grade) Elementary Schools, retiring in 2001 just before the new South Park Elementary Center opened. She loved and embraced every student with compassion and fairness, crafting each student to develop their talents into their full potential and embarking them on a trajectory to attain success in life in each's very special way.
Gloria was an excellent seamstress having mastered many styles of sewing including knitting, crocheting, and embroidery. She enjoyed reading, solving crossword puzzles, toiling in her beautiful flower gardens, and being visited by her darling hummingbirds every summer. She was a longtime member of the Saint Thomas A Becket Women's Card Club, a Cub Scout den mother, and a Pleasant Hills girls softball traveling team mom.
Funeral visitation is being conducted at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, 301 Curry Hollow Road, Pleasant Hills PA 15236, on Monday, August 18, 2025, and Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. each day and will be followed by a funeral service in their chapel with gravesite procession in their cemetery starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, officiated by her pastor, Reverend Kevin Vinay of Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church.
In October 2022, Gloria's vision rapidly deteriorated into total blindness, attributed to macular degeneration, leaving her to navigate the last 3 years of her life in complete darkness always hopeful for a cure but never dimming her spirit. Ardent heartfelt thanks to all of her many exemplary skilled home care nurses, therapists, and aides who tremendously helped her through this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, Gloria wishes you contribute to vision restoration medical research for macular degeneration in her name.
To leave online condolences please visit www.jeffersonmemorial.com
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