Tom Ziegler, commonly referred to as Tiger, passed away in late December. He began bartending at Hotel Congress in 1959. When he turned 80 years old, the historic hotel renamed its bar Tiger’s Tap Room in his honor.
“We will dearly miss him and his wit, wisdom, banter, and tales about the love of his life — The Hotel Congress and his namesake, Tiger’s Tap Room,” said Bea-Ann Ziegler.
On Saturday, January 11, family and friends of Tiger are hosting a celebration of life from 2 – 4 p.m. on the Hotel Congress Plaza.
Everyone’s welcome to gather, raise a glass, and share memories of his incredible 70+ years of bartending at Hotel Congress. Also, feel free to bring a picture to share in memory of Tiger.
Reservations aren’t required but you can purchase a free ticket to the event online ahead of time — giving the Hotel Congress staff an idea of how many plan to attend.
“Tiger has become a legend — in our family and the City of Tucson. Our wish is that Tiger will always be remembered as a man who loved deeply and cared for his family, his Hotel Congress family, and his much-loved customers at Tiger’s Tap Room.”
Hotel Congress is located at 311 E. Congress St. For more information about the Celebration of Life, visit dice.fm.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
