For Our Friend Tim
This week, Broomfield Taxpayer Matters lost a great friend and founding member. Tim Ziegler passed away on April 14th, 2020 and he will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and the countless number of people that he touched through his life. Tim was a true patriot, a stalwart for freedom and individual liberty, and a selfless father, husband, and friend. Tim was at the heart of Broomfield Taxpayer Matters, and brought fresh, cutting, and compelling perspective to our group.
If you ever met Tim, you know how caring and supporting he was. Tim had an innate ability to lift up everyone he met, and he supported so many causes in his life it would be impossible to list them all here. From donating his renowned executive chef skills for Broomfield Republican Lincoln Dinner auctions, to supporting local, statewide, and national candidates and campaigns, to being a kind ear and voice willing to help anyone, anytime, anywhere, Tim was true to himself and everyone around him.
Tim served with distinction as a Marine, being stationed around the world, including Beirut, Lebanon. Tim held to the notion of “once an Marine, always a Marine”. Tim’s duty to his fellow man was brought home through his service to his country.
Tim was on obsessive reader, soaking up anything and everything he could put his eyes on. History, current events, political opinions and perspectives, Tim absorbed it all, and was not afraid to offer up his opinion and advice on the same. He stood by his convictions, with the humility to adapt his position through respectful and civil discourse. And, he was a recognized author in his own right, penning a book in 2008 - To Set The Record Straight: How Swift Boat Veterans, POWs and the New Media Defeated John Kerry.
Above all else, Tim was as an incredible and loving Father and Husband to his family. Margaret and Tim Ziegler were married in 2003. A few years later they adopted Joy and James, and provided them with love as parents should. Tim loved coaching both James and Joy, and beamed with fatherly pride as they both excelled with baseball and softball. One of Tim’s favorite stories to tell was to talk about Joy’s first softball season at Faith Christian where she not only made the team, but was named first team all league. To say he was proud of both James and Joy would be an understatement.
Tim’s eldest son Zach followed in his father’s footsteps as a fellow Marine. Tim and Zach were not just father and son; they were best friends, and would talk every day. Tim was Zach’s rock and “compass”. Zach recently reflected about his Dad - “ I love this photo of he and I, just after losing his second leg, smiling and laughing, because that’s the kind of resilient and genuine man that he was, and he should be remembered as such.”
Needless to say, Tim’s love for his family was on display at all times, regardless of what he was going through.
In recent years, Tim grappled with health issues and ailments, including amputations of both legs and a battle with cancer. Outwardly, Tim never let the physical toll affect his demeanor or spirit . Tim would always say “God is good in all things, and in all things God is good.” He lived this sentiment, with thankfulness for life, for his family, and for his friends.
Tim cared deeply for his friends, and would offer advice to those around him, and always from a position of love. We would be remiss if we didn’t quote Tim directly .
“God has blessed us with the greatest gift of all - Life itself. Most humans treat that gift trivially and without consequence.”
We miss you Tim. We will do right by you by picking up the banner that you carried with grace, joy, and love in your heart.
Semper Fidelis
“Well done, good and faithful servant” - Matthew 25:23