MICHAEL ZYLA, 77
Former Vineland Times Journal Employee
Michael T. Zyla, 77, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, died Monday [11 October 1999] at his residence after battling pancreatic cancer for four months.
Born in Shamokin, he lived there most of his life but spent 15 years in New Jersey. He formerly worked at the Vineland Times Journal, now The Daily Journal.
Mr. Zyla was a noted realism artist. His watercolor work, centering in Shamokin, has been nationally heralded. He was a 1940 graduate of Shamokin High School.
He was with the headquarters company of the 8th Infantry Division in World War II as a technician fourth class. He served in campaigns in the Rhineland and Central Europe. He was awarded a Good Contact Medal, an American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, two Bronze Stars and the World War II Victory Medal.
He worked through 1957 at the Shamokin News-Dispatch when he accepted a position at the Times Journal He worked for the News-Item in 1969, overseeing the newspaper’s change from letterpress to offset printing as the advertising director. He retired from the newspaper in 1962.
He also worked as a free lance artist, creating label designs and advertising promotions for such companies as Ortleib’s Beer and Boscov’s. He is credited with designing several F & S Brewery campaigns and logos as well as the famous Shamokin Packing Company Indian head trademark. He worked on advertising promotions for M & I, and the Northumberland Democratic Party.
He belonged to Our Lady of Hope Church in Coal Township, Pennsylvania. He was a Bible study facilitator there for 10 years.
He was president of several business organizations, including the Rotary.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Dolores [Sulewski] Zyla, two sons, Michael Zyla of Philadelphia, and Gregory Zyla, of Elysburg, three granddaughters, a grandson, a brother Edward Zyla of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, and several nieces and nephews.
A Christian vigil service is 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Leonard J. Lucas Funeral Home, 120 S. Market Street, Shamokin. The Rev. Philip Burger will conduct services.
The funeral is 10 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Hope Church, Coal Township. Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in the Northumberland Memorial Park Cemetery, Stonington, Pennsylvania.
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Obituary from the Daily Journal, Vineland, New Jersey, 12 October 1999, via Newspapers.com.
Portrait of Zyla is cropped from an undated advertising supplement to the Citizen-Standard, Valley View, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Caption: Michael T. Zyla sits at his art table after finishing touches to his latest print, “Passing the Torch.” Zyla’s new print features the Shamokin train station, two locomotives, a diesel and a bustling station setting. “Passing the Torth” is Zyla’s third Shamokin train scene painting.
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