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Paul Zolak, who served as athletic director at Ringgold and Bethel Park high schools, passed away on April 14, 2020 at the age of 72 after a long and courageous battle with Inclusion Body Myositis, a muscle disease.

Paul Zolak (at left) was inducted into the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame in 2011

Paul was born on Jan. 30, 1948, in Donora, to Charles and Alice Kuzemka Zolak. Paul was a 1965 graduate of Donora High School, where he was a standout on the football and baseball teams. He received his undergraduate degree from the California University of Pennsylvania where he was kicker and quarterback for the football team and went on to earn his graduate degree from West Virginia University. In 1967, he married the love of his life, Daryl (née Dacko). They raised their two children, Scott and Heather while living in Belle Vernon.

Paul spent several decades working in athletics with the Ringgold and Bethel Park school systems and had a distinguished career. Some of Paul Zolak’s career highlights include:

• Ringgold assistant high school football coach 1971-77
• Ringgold athletic director 1977-1997 (first school district in the WPIAL to install artificial turf in the stadium).
• Bethel Park athletic director 1997-2004
• Longtime member of WPIAL Committees and Board of Control

Honors awards and recognition include:

• 1994 Appointed as an original member of the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
• 1995 Dick Kohl Tri County Memorial Award
• 1997 Region IV Athletic Director of the Year
• 2004 Pennsylvania State Athletic Director Association’s Distinguished Service Award
• 2005 California University of Pennsylvania Michael Duda Award for Athletic Achievement
• 2011 Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame recipient

Paul was well known for his kind, compassionate and caring demeanor. He had an unmatched ability to make everyone in the room feel important. He loved interacting with his student athletes and always wanted the best for each and every one of them.

Due to the current Coronavirus guidelines, the family will be holding a private funeral and burial at Mon Valley Memorial Park. They plan on holding a celebration of Paul’s life at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the ANTHONY L. MASSAFRA FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICE INC., 40 Second St. Ext., Carroll Township, Donora, PA 15033, 724-379-6900. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Paul’s memory to the Faustman Lab at Mass General Hospital for type 1 diabetes research in honor of his granddaughter, Samantha. www.faustmanlab.org/donate/.

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