Pete was born on December 11, 1960. The youngest child of Alice and Nicholas Zarrilli, he grew up in Havertown, Pennsylvania and graduated from Haverford High School in 1979. He was a Hilltop Swim Club “pool rat” for many summers, and his love of swimming launched a successful career in coaching, managing swim clubs, and basically anything water related. He did it all and did it well.
As swim coach at Haverford High, Pete had the most winning seasons of any Haverford coach in any sport. He trained future Olympic athletes and consistently “kicked butt” on behalf of District One in State competition. At the same time, he coached the Radnor Aquatic Club’s age group swimming. He loved his swimmers and maintained lifelong friendships with many of them.
Always a worker, always family first: Pete spent years helping his sister-in-law Sheryl with a start-up business. He also helped his brother Ron go from “idea and empty building” to operating “Zarrilli’s Steaks and Hoagies,” bringing Philly sandwiches to Maryland. These acts were true labors of love.
His love of doing, making, and contributing served him well. But his greatest bequest to everyone he left behind was his joy. Pete was the funniest and kindest of men. He will be missed.
Pete is survived by his sister Niki Barnes, his brother Ron and wife Claire, his brother Paul and wife Mary, and his sister-in-law Sheryl, wife of David Zarrilli who passed away in 2017. Pete is loved and missed by his many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles, in-laws and out-laws, and hundreds of friends.
Memorial services will be held at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, 1600 S. Sproul Road, Springfield, PA, at 11am on Saturday, September 7, 2019.
Contributions in lieu of flowers may be sent to the American Heart Association at:
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