John Joseph Zacarola

John Joseph Zacarola, 74, of Summerville, SC, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, March 25th, 2017, over two years after becoming ill with MDS/myelofibrosis.  John was a longtime resident of Norwalk, CT and spent the last 18 months living in South Carolina to be near his daughter and family.

John was born on October 17, 1942, the son of Frank Zacarola and Mary LaRosa Zacarola of Darien, CT.  John grew up in Stamford, CT surrounded by many friends and extended family.  He graduated from Stamford High School and served in the US Army from 1964 to 1966 where he worked as a fluent Morse code radio operator.  While stationed in Germany in 1965 he received a pen pal letter from a woman in New Jersey named Nancy Schoettly.  Letters were sent back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean for over a year until Nancy’s mother set up a date for them.  After being discharged from the army at the age of 24, John went to meet his pen pal for the first time.  He fell in love at first sight with Nancy, and after only 4 months he asked her to marry him.  She said yes and they spent the next 49 years by each other’s sides.

John took a management job with the Branson Corporation where he worked for several years before starting his own metallurgy business.  Ultimately, his love of the restaurant business led him to finish his career at the Roger Sherman Inn in New Canaan, CT where he worked full time for approximately 20 years.  John loved all things about cooking and dining.  During this time he honed his cooking skills and was known for the “beautiful” meals he would prepare for friends and family.  He used to laugh when he referred to cooking as “my therapy”.  In addition to cooking and dining, John loved football (New York Giants), baseball (New York Yankees), golfing with his cousin Edgar Waring of Norwalk, and summers at the beach.  His favorite beach was the longtime family destination of Lavallette, New Jersey.  He also loved the beaches of Bermuda, Great Exuma, and St. John, USVI.

John was probably best known for his outgoing, affable personality.  He never met a stranger and enjoyed making new friends.  He loved doing math with his grandson and watching his granddaughter dance and sing.  John was preceded in death by his oldest son John E. Zacarola.  He is survived by his beloved wife Nancy of Summerville, SC; sisters Diane (Zacarola) Percope of Port Charlotte, FL and Joann (Zacarola) Ricard of Milford, CT; daughter Christine (Zacarola) Healing of Summerville, SC, son Patrick Zacarola of Ponder, TX and Black Hawk, CO; granddaughter Erin Healing and grandson John  “Jack” Healing of Summerville, SC.

Viewing will be held at Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Avenue in Norwalk, CT on Sunday, April 2nd from 2-6PM.  A Catholic requiem mass will be held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 203  East Avenue in Norwalk at 10AM on Monday, April 3rd, with a burial immediately following at Riverside Cemetery in Norwalk. 

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