05/14/2026
It is with great sadness that the Directors of Hill Country Council for the Arts and Directors of The AgriCultural Museum and Arts Center announce to our community the death of Rob Ziegler. So many of you knew Rob from his longtime service as a City Councilman, followed by his commitment as treasurer to many arts organizations. In addition to the above arts and heritage partners, Rob served Boerne Professional Artists, Boerne Art League, Boerne Performing Arts, and in our more recent past, he spent years working with the all-encompassing Dickens-on-Main committee.
Robert W. Ziegler, age 76, of Boerne, TX, passed away on April 14, 2026, after a prolonged illness.
Rob was born in Fitchburg, MA on November 1, 1949, to Richard W. and Elizabeth E. Ziegler, who preceded him in death, as did his two brothers, Rick and John.
He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he earned a restaurant and hotel management degree.
Rob’s 39-year career spent in Corpus Christi and San Antonio spanned the hospitality and beverage industries where he held senior management positions in business development, product management, sales and marketing. He spent the bulk of his career—30 years—working for Block/Republic National Distributing Company.
Not one to sit still in retirement, Rob founded Smart Wine Media, LLC, a full-service online retail wine store serving the San Antonio area. He enjoyed hosting wine classes and in-home tastings, consulting on wine collections and sourcing hard-to-find wines for his clients.
Active in the community, Rob helped launch the San Antonio Express-News Wine Festival, the proceeds of which funded public television station KLRN. He served on numerous local boards, including the Hill Country Council for the Arts and The AgriCultural Museum and Arts Center, and co-chaired the Hill Country Art and Wine Fest and the Boerne BierFest.
Rob was a good example of how someone can be productive and have a purpose after retirement when you’re involved with a nonprofit organization—helping produce numerous events and produce during his time, such as Dickens-on-Main, Stocking Stuffers, Spooktacular, Bierfest, HCCA Cinema, Hill Country Art & Wine Festival, antique tractor pulls, Down Home Christmas, A Taste for History, and raising money for the Hill Country Flood Relief Fund. He served as a member of the Boerne City Council from 2006-2010.
Rob is survived by his wife of 38 years, Lucy; his son, Tony of Boston, MA; his nephew and wife, Ryan and Brandi West and their six children of Palacios, TX; and his beloved feline companion, Henri.
A reception commemorating Rob’s life will be held on Saturday, June 6, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at The AgriCultural Museum and Arts Center, 102 City Park in Boerne, TX. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hill Country Council for the Arts or the AgriCultural Museum and Arts Center.
