Katharina (Muller) Zirkel

Katharina Zirkel, (nee Müller), 94 of Berkeley township, formerly from Old Bridge, passed away peacefully at home July 4th, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Katharina was born June 16, 1931, in Selci Dakovacki, Yugoslavia (Croatia) to the late Georg and Barbara Muller. She was a loving wife, devoted mother and grandmother.  A woman of great strength and resilience, Katharina lived an extraordinary life and overcame many challenges. Born during the Great Depression, came of age during WWII, was forced to flee her childhood home due to war, lived in a refugee camp for two years, and journeyed to the United States through a storm that nearly destroyed the ship she was traveling on. Despite the difficulties of her early years, Katharina maintained a spirit of kindness and optimism her whole life. Her unwavering faith in God, her passion for music and dance, and her remarkable goodwill, sincerity, and generosity were well-known, but above all, she was cherished for the profound love she held for her family.

Katharina began her education in a one-room schoolhouse, where she learned to read and write. Her parents knew she had a strong desire to learn and allowed her to further her education in a nearby town. When Katharina was 14, as the war advanced, her father was forced into conscription, leaving Katharina, her mother, and two sisters on their own to run their farm. As the fighting drew closer, the Muller family was forced to leave home and flee to nearby Austria. During their journey, they slept in the woods, took shelter in abandoned homes, and helped local farmers in exchange for room and board. Eventually, the family was informed that Georg had been killed in the war and that their home had been seized by the state.

When the war ended, Katharina and her family were placed in a refugee camp in Leibniz, Austria, where they lived in a one-room shelter for two years. The family then relocated to Grasz, Austria, where they struggled to make a living during the post-war economic downturn. Driven by her desire for better opportunities, Katharina decided to emigrate to the United States.

Through a Catholic charity, Katharina and her sister and cousin were able to secure a trip to the U.S. on an old military ship, the USS General S. D. Sturgis. During the 2-week trip across the Atlantic, the ship went through a storm so fierce it destroyed one of the ship's two remaining engines. Katharina arrived in New York City on March 15, 1952, at the age of 19, with no money, no understanding of English, and no one there to greet her.

In exchange for the trip to the U.S., Katharina was required to work as a domestic servant for one year, for a family located in Massachusetts. With the help of the family, Katharina was able to go to night school to learn English. Eventually, Katharina made her way to Queens, NY, where she rented an apartment with her sister Liz and her cousin Elizabeth. Katharina and her sister worked various jobs to raise enough money to sponsor and relocate their mother and sister to the US.

Her exceptional talent for dance led her to teach at the prestigious Arthur Murray Dance Studio and later at Dale Dance Studio. It was at Dale Dance Studio that she met her future husband, Charles, who specifically requested her as his instructor. Charles and Katharina married in 1959 and settled in Brooklyn, NY. By 1962, they had moved to Old Bridge, NJ, where they raised their three sons: Charles, George, and John.

Education held lifelong importance for Katharina. A woman truly ahead of her time, she put herself through school while simultaneously raising her children and working various jobs. She began with night classes, ultimately earning an accounting degree to advance her corporate career at Siemens. Katharina was immensely proud of her accomplishments during her many years at Siemens, where she worked from 1980 until her retirement in 1993.

Upon their retirement, Katharina and Charles relocated to Holiday City. There, Katharina enthusiastically embraced a variety of hobbies, including playing tennis and enjoying trips to Atlantic City with her cousin Elizabeth. She loved her NY Mets and spent many hours watching their games. However, her greatest joy came from pursuing her lifelong love of singing. Blessed with a beautiful soprano voice, Katharina dedicated countless hours to the Maximilian Kolbe Church Choir, pouring her heart and voice into what she loved most.

Katharina is preceded by her parents, Georg Muller; Barbara (Tushter) Muller; husband, Charles Zirkel; son, Frederick Zirkel and sister, Elizabeth Jones.

Katharina is survived by her three loving sons Charles, George and his wife Dianne, and John and his wife Lori; and sister, Maria Walsh.  Katharina was the proud grandmother to 5 grandchildren, Kim DiStasio and husband Mike, Nicholas Zirkel and wife Erin, Jessica Zirkel, Joseph Zirkel, George Zirkel and wife Morgan. Katharina was also the great grandmother to 5 adoring grandchildren, Keane, Landen, Emerson, Jacob and Olivia.

The family will receive friends and relatives on Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 3pm to 7pm at Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals, 145 St. Catherine Blvd., Toms River.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10am, Friday, July 11, 2025, at St. Maximilian Kolbe RC Church. Katharina's final resting place will be at the BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery where she will be reunited with her husband Charles. 

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Center for Pediatric Bowel Disease.

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