Mary C Zappo

Mary Catherine Zappo, age 95, of Overland Park, Kansas passed away October 9, 2010. Services will begin with the Visitation and Rosary at 10am and Mass at 11am on Friday, October 15th, at Curé of Ars Church, 9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS. Burial will follow immediately at Calvary Cemetery, 6901 Troost, Kansas City, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Memory of Mary Zappo to the Greater Kansas City Foundation for Citizens with Disabilities, 4111 E. 100th Terr, Kansas City, MO 64137.

Mrs. Zappo was born February 28, 1915 to Frank and Lena (Scavuzzo) Dichiara in Italy and came to the US in 1920. Mary grew up in Kansas City, graduated from Northeast High School, and attended Kansas City Teachers College. As a young woman in the 1930s and 40s, she managed the family grocery store, Superior Market. She then married Angelo Zappo upon his return from WWII and had two daughters, Angela and Annette. In addition to being a mother and homemaker, she was an administrator for the Jackson County Small Claims Court. Mary also volunteered with many organizations. She had been President of the Catholic Women’s Club of Kansas City, MO, and was a member of the Legion of Mary, the Council of Clubs providing college scholarships, the Past-President’s Club, the Greater Kansas City Foundation for Citizens with Disabilities, and up to the time of her passing a volunteer at St. Joseph Medical Center. Mary was an active member of St. Peter’s and Curé of Ars Catholic Churches.

She was preceded in death by Angelo Zappo, her beloved husband of 50 years; her daughter Annette; her sisters Josephine Napoli and Mildred Dichiara, and her brother Frank Dichiara.

Mary is survived by her daughter Angela McNamara; grandsons and their wives Mike and Lesley McNamara and Robert and Joanna McNamara; great-grandchildren Ethan, Emmy, and Evan; and sister Catherine Brennan.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, her warmth and kindness touched all who knew her, and her family and friends will miss her dearly.