Louis J. Zanella Obituary

Louis J. Zanella EdD, died on October 25, 2018 at the age of 85. He was the loving husband of the late Patricia (Fagan) Zanella to whom he was married for 63 years. He was born Dec. 1, 1932 in South Kingstown, RI to the late Ilare (Eli) and Emma (Blanchard) Zanella.
Louis was a navy veteran of the Korean War and later served in the 103rd Field Artillery, RING. He was president of the Narragansett Town Council and Past Grand Knight of the Pope Pius XII Knight of Columbus. He received his BS from Kansas State University then went on to complete a MS at the University of Rhode Island and an EdD from Nova University. Early in his career he taught biology at Chariho High School.
Louis had a rewarding career as a professor at the Community College of Rhode Island where he taught comparative anatomy for the registered nurse program. He loved teaching and was proud of his professional accomplishments. He authored a laboratory manual on the dissection of the cat. He retired after 31 years in 1996. One finds his past students throughout the health care system in RI.
Louis and Patricia raised eight children in Narragansett, RI between 1962 and 1983. His children remember his sense of humor and his interest in a variety of activities at home such as cooking, canning, woodworking and gardening. When the children were young, he loved to horse play or work on craft projects with them. Once his children had their own families, he organized family camping-fishing weekends that brought everyone back together for good times. He was an avid fisherman his entire life, and was a founding member of the sport fisherman's club in Narragansett. He traveled to Alaska for years each summer for salmon fishing. He moved to West Warwick (1983) where he was a communicant of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and then to Warwick (2010). He owned a condo at Waterville Valley where he did cross country skiing and supported Patricia in her hobby of downhill skiing. He was famous for his hot chocolate and après ski snacks and for sponsoring family New Year Eve celebrations that are remembered fondly by children and grandchildren alike. He and Patricia also did a significant amount of world travel including China, Thailand, Kenya, Australia and New Zealand. His favorite trip was the safari to Africa.
Family was important to Louis. He was dedicated to his parents and proud of his children who all survive him. Deborah Zanella and Richard Bober of CT, Joanne Zanella-Litke and William Litke of MA, Stephen Zanella and Ann Schwink of ME, Robert Zanella of AK, Leslie Zanella and Stephen Blais of RI, Carol Zanella and Greg Kress of NC, Tricia Zanella of RI and Christine Zanella of MA. He has 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren and counting. He is survived by his twin brother John and predeceased by his brothers, Arthur and Leo.
Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation Monday, Oct 29, 2018 from 1-3 p.m. with a service at 3 p.m. in the Thomas & Walter Quinn Funeral Chapel, 2435 Warwick Avenue, Warwick. In Lieu of flowers, the family ask that you donate to the Nursing Foundation of RI, Patricia F. Zanella Memorial Fund (a scholarship fund for the nursing program at CCRI) at PO Box 41702, Providence, RI 02940