Margaret “Willi” Zildjian, co-founder of the Sabian Cymbal Company with her husband, Robert Zildjian (whom she married in 1951), and mother of current Sabian president Andy Zildjian, died on February 14, 2017. When Sabian was founded in 1981, she came up with the name, based on the first two letters of the names of her and Bob Zildjian’s children: Sally, Billy, and Andy.

The Sabian website posted the following: “Along with Bob, Willi was a tireless and dynamic force within the percussion industry, inspiring each of us in her beloved Sabian family to work harder, to reach farther and to make a difference. We mourn Willi’s passing, and we will miss her for a long time to come. But we are better people for having known her and we are richer for having worked alongside her. We draw comfort from the knowledge that her spirit will live on in the music made by artists the world over.