Frank Zappia
DON'T MESS WITH THE CHAMP
Frank Zappia, Sr.
usually gets what he goes after.
As local GOP Party Chairman in Massena, New York, he elecled the first Republican in his district in 20 years.
A Private in the US. Army, he received 2nd lieutenant's pay because of his job classification...ran a semi-pro
football team for 10 years, won 80% of his games. Sold tickets for the Andrea Dorea before it made history.
Even married a wife with ties to the Nobel Prize for nuclear medicine.
Along the way, Frank raised a family, ran his father's restaurant and tavern business with up to 10 cooks and wait
staff, installed ceramic tile flooring, worked on a farm, sold office equipment, worked in a shoe rcpair shop, was
a volunteer fireman for nearly 25 years... and joined our Club 4 years ago when he relocated to Vero Beach. He
was our Club's sergeant-at-aims until October, also works on maintenance under the supervision of John Massirio.
Plus Frank is a National Rifle Association-certified Range Officer in Indian River County.
There's more.
Like so many successful people at IACA, Frank usually finds good use for his time. He grew up in Massena.
graduated from the local high school. Entered the Army during the Korean War, worked as head bartender in an
officer's club, earned extra pay that way. Went into business with his father, Sam, and operated several
restaurants and taverns. For 6 years during the l970s Frank was Republican Party Chairman with staff of 24
committee members. He was general business manager of the Massena Warriors semi-pro football team which
played teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Canada...won most of them (his brother,
Tony, was coach, by the way).
His wife, Sandra, a graduate of Mt. Mary College in Milwaukee, earned a Technical Degree but wound up
marketing pharmaceuticals all over the world. One of her jobs was at the University of Heidelberg in Germany
where her immediate superior won the Nobel Prize for nuclear medicine. Now she sells homes in Palm Bay,
Florida and, already in 2004, earned "Rookie of the Year" honors from a local homebuilder's association.
Together, they have 4 children Lori who lives in Clearwater...Sandra who resides in Lutz, Florida..Tony who
is an accomplished nature photographer in Massena.. and Frank, Jr. who is outdoor editor of a local publication in
Clearwater. There are 2 grandsons, 2 granddaughters, 4 great grandchildren (3 boys and a girl).
Not many of us manage to get things right all the time.. and lead lives of value and worth. But I think Frank had
it all figured out a long time ago. And we can all learn from that.
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