The last farewell to Zygmunt Ziober (October 20, 1956 – July 20, 2025)

On July 25, 2025, we said goodbye to Zygmunt Ziobro, a Przemyśl entrepreneur, renowned football referee, philanthropist, and avid tennis player. He was accompanied on his final journey by his closest family, friends, employees, acquaintances, representatives of the city and Podkarpacie local governments, and representatives of the Podkarpackie Football Association.

The funeral began with a concelebrated Mass in the Przemyśl Archcathedral. The mass was preceded by a brief remembrance of the deceased by the parish priest, Father Mieczysław Rusin. Priests who played a significant role in Zygmunt Ziobro's life also stood at the altar. Among them were Father Janusz Mączka, pastor of the parish in Osiedle Rycerskie; Stanisława Ożóg, pastor of the parish in Błonia; Father Marek Kaczmarczyk, pastor of the parish in Lipowica; Father Rafał Antoszczuk, parish priest of the Przemyśl Franciscans; and Father Prelate Zbigniew Suchy. Father Marek Kaczmarczyk delivered the homily. "The late Zygmunt did not want this farewell to be sad, although my heart weeps. Zygmunt, of venerable memory, passed away in the Jubilee Year as a pilgrim of hope. On his parents' nameday. Their parents' names were Czesław and Czesława." On the birthday of his beloved wife, Beata. That's how it is with this love. Christ's love was most fully revealed on the cross. Although our hearts are sad today, we believe that the life of the late Zygmunt does not end. He often recalled his two meetings with St. John Paul II, immediately after his election as Holy Father in 1978. "We bid farewell to a very good, kind, and cheerful person," said Father Marek Kaczmarczyk in his funeral homily.

Farewell

After the Mass, Agnieszka Dominiak, a family friend, delivered a remembrance of the deceased. On behalf of her immediate family and herself, she said:

"Mr. Zygmunt, I know it was your wish that I give a speech. Of course, I accepted your request with honor; after all, you don't argue with the chief judge... You're probably sitting up there right now, smiling and thinking what you've often said to me: 'Agnieszka, you have a talent for journalism, so keep talking like you always do.' I'll try to do so, although it's exceptionally difficult today, so you'll forgive me for having to resort to a piece of paper, but I wouldn't want to leave anything out. My father, Krzysztof, instilled in me and my sister a love of people; relationships with friends were very important to him."

And you played a special role in our lives. My entire childhood and adult life was spent with you and your family. I can't count the days spent gathering at your beloved Albatros. A place I've always called my second home, a place we adore with family and friends, thanks to you and your family. It's quite funny that you could say that about a hotel, but the point is that places are created by people, and it all started with you.

Above all, I'm grateful that fate placed Dad and you in my path, because thanks to your friendship and ours, I have the most beautiful memories of the various events we had the opportunity to experience together, in which you were so deeply involved. Trips to matches, winter holidays, parties in Chołowice, at Albatros, name days, birthdays, weddings, welcoming the New Year together. It's hard to count them all.

Thank you for wrapping us in the most difficult moment of our lives, the death of our father, with the "fatherly arm" we so desperately needed. We had a clear message that we could count on you at any time. We will be forever grateful for that. Thank you, and I will miss our conversations, your anecdotes from your life as a referee, our discussions about sports, especially in recent years, tennis, to which you devoted much more time than football, which you simply loved (but you always found time for refereeing, especially at the memorial). Your passion for sports and culture from a young age (perhaps not all of you here know that Mr. Zygmunt was a great athlete) also translated into activities promoting the city. You willingly supported all initiatives in our city and collaborated with various institutions, sports clubs, etc.

Thank you for readily agreeing to my ideas regarding hotel guests, whom you later welcomed with open arms and a smile at the entrance, which ended in late-night feasts and singing outside the hotel, for which I would apologize, but most of the time we sang together. I never saw you angry or sad. Always smiling, full of good humor, elegant, smelling of good perfume, and with that characteristic laugh and a good joke up your sleeve. I loved coming to your office, settling into those comfortable aquamarine sofas, and you would ask:

"So, Agnieszka, what kind of party are we planning next?" I listened with great interest and curiosity to your stories of wonderful trips with your family, looking through the abundance of photos you managed to take together. Anyone who knew you knows that family was most important to you, and you were their brightest spot, their life. My beloved wife, Beata, and my wonderful daughters, Madzia, Kamila, and Gabrysia, whom you raised together to be good and wise people, about whom you loved to talk and unobtrusively boast about their achievements. I'm glad that this friendship continues between us girls. Equally important to you were your siblings, your sisters, Teresa and Maria, your wonderful brothers, Rysiu and Stasiu, and their children, whom you also surrounded with fatherly care. Recently, you expressed special gratitude to Rysiu's older daughter, Patrycja, who, at that most difficult moment, was by your side and provided you with medical care. Mr. Zygmunt, "much love" and "happy sunshine" wherever you are. We will miss you so much. Nothing will be the same. "You've been gone for so many years," "Girls I think of," "A train is coming from far away" – we'll sing all of this together again someday..." concluded Agnieszka Dominiak.

Ryszard Wójcik, a former football referee and entrepreneur with whom Zygmunt Ziober was friends, refereed together, and ran a transport company, also bid farewell to Zygmunt Ziober. At the request of his family, these were his only words of farewell.

The urn containing the ashes, accompanied by a standard-bearer, was transported to the Zasanie Cemetery. As the urn was lowered into the grave, bus horns sounded. The employees bid farewell to their boss. "He was a decent guy," one of them concluded.