Otto Albert Zavatone

Otto Zavatone, born in Quincy MA on Dec. 28, 1940 passed away peacefully in his home in Chatham on Friday March 6, 2015. Otto is survived by his loving wife Barbara and his dog, Madalena; his siblings, Leo (Burgi) Zavatone, Veronica Coyne and Mary Pearl and Barbara’s siblings, Maureen McCarthy (Gerard) and Gerry Mooney (Debbie), many beloved nieces and nephews, close friends Richard Costello and Geoffrey Morris, and too many other friends to name. Needless to say Otto will be missed by many. Otto is predeceased by his parents Otto Sr. and Helen (Lally) Zavatone, his brother Jim and his favorite Uncle Jake Zavatone. Otto attended Boston College High, Thayer Academy and the University of Colorado in Boulder.

A true renaissance man, Otto (nicknamed “Leonardo” in Colorado) lived his life to the fullest. Self-employed but never unemployed Otto was a fisherman and shell fisherman, a carpenter, a brewmaster and a musician. He worked ski patrol for the Aspen Highlands for 13 years, and was a major part of the Boulder, Colorado music scene. Examples of his finished carpentry work is visible in what he and Jay Lanzillo called the “fishermen’s bar” at the Chatham Squire. He skied with Spider Sabich and Jean Claude Killy, dined at Elaine’s, shot guns with Hunter S. Thompson and played John Lennon’s music on Lennon’s upright piano. Otto was a local legend who grew his own vegetables in a pesticide–free garden (he was famous for his home-grown tomatoes!) and cooked gourmet meals for “Boo” for over 30 years. He surprised Boo and proposed to her at Elaine’s.

Otto knew lots and lots of people but treated all with kindness and a panache seen by few in our lifetime. He was a rebel and a rock star. Few know (but would not be surprised) that Otto played with and backed up musical legends like Del Shannon on “Runaway” (playing a B3 Hammond organ), Chuck Berry on “Johnny B Goode” (keyboard), Judy Collins (he was 20, she was 21 years old), the Shirelles, the Marvelettes, the Crystals, Jimmy Buffet, Tiny Tim, Buck Dean & the Buckin’ Strings and Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen. He also played with Fiddlesticks at the Sou’Wester in Chatham and at the Squire he and Geoffrey were a musical “pair that beat a full house.” His rendition of Jimmy Buffet’s “A Pirate Looks at Forty” was a treasure that brought comfort to many.

Following a mass at 11 am on Wed. April 15th at the Holy Redeemer on Highland Avenue, there will be a celebration of Otto’s life at the Chatham Squire.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a memorial donation in Otto’s name to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, Att: Lynn Shulman –OR- Wildcare, 10 Smith Lane, Eastham, MA 02642

Otto has gone “down to the crossroads.” Fair winds Otto.