Clyde C. Zirbel

Clyde C. Zirbel, MD, 89, passed away on July 28, 2018 in Roseville, California with family at his bedside. Born in Oakland, California to Clyde and Dorothy Zirbel on June 13, 1929, he graduated from Boulder Creek High School in Santa Cruz County. He received his medical degree from Stanford University in June 1955. He married is beloved wife, Margaret Claire Gavin, in Redwood City on July 24, 1954 and entered the U.S. Army, completing his Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Letterman General in San Francisco in 1959.



He was stationed in the Air Force, practicing medicine at Gunter Annex, Vandenberg, Tachikawa, and Mather A.F.B. In 1966 he joined the Permanente Medical Group (Kaiser Hospitals) at the Morse Avenue campus until his retirement in 1992. While living in Sacramento, he enjoyed sailing his boat in the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento Delta, snow skiing and biking with The Sacramento Wheelman, competing in many races such as the Death Ride with his son, Clyde “Trace” Zirbel, in 1991. He moved to Bozeman, Montana in 1993, enjoying the beauty of the mountains, skiing, maintaining his grove of trees and caring for his golden retrievers.



Clyde was preceded in death by his son, John Zirbel, in 2013. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Margaret Zirbel; children, Gretchen (Don) Trowbridge, Trace Zirbel and Patrick Zirbel. He was blessed with six grandchildren, Brian Zirbel, Heather Torres, Melissa James, Courtney Doane, Gavin Zirbel and Miranda Zirbel; and three great-grandchildren, Leish Maestas and Lucy and Maggie James. He is also survived by his nephew, Eric Zirbel of Santa Clara.



Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life gathering on April 20, 2019 at Dahl Funeral & Cremation Service Tribute Center, Bozeman at 2:00 p.m. with light refreshments.