Joseph Zanchelli

WILTON - Joseph Louis "Joe" Zanchelli, 96, of Wilton, New York, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Joe is predeceased by his parents, Antonio and Carolina (Florio), and his brothers, Pasquale and Anthony. He leaves behind his wife of 73 years, Joyce (Leavitt), children Mark (Regina Adams), Michael (Doris) and Lynn Tattersall (Robert John), eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger brother Frank (Mary Anne) and his sister, Angela Fraleigh. 

Joe was born on May 22, 1928, in Germantown, NY where he graduated from Germantown Central High School in 1945. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949 and his master’s degree in 1950 from the New York State College for Teachers (SUNY Albany). He was a high school math teacher for 5 years before beginning a career as a high school guidance counselor which he did for 32 years, the last 22 years serving as the Chairperson of the Guidance Department at Great Neck South High School.

Joe, Joyce and family loved connecting with people throughout the world including sponsoring a visiting SUNY Stony Brook college student from India and a young woman from Uganda and fostering two young sisters from Central America. They were involved in many church activities, the anti-war movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s, numerous social causes, and Democratic Party politics. Joe and his family combined their love of learning and travel by traveling extensively both internationally and domestically and by participating in many Road Scholar adventures.

Following his retirement in 1986, Joe served in several executive positions with the Great Neck Retired Educators’ Chapter and served as an elder and deacon with the Roslyn Presbyterian Church where he was also the co-president for 20 years of the Local Causes Committee. He remained active with the Presbyterian Church after moving to Saratoga Springs, served as Chair of the Planning Committee for Young at Heart Adults (YAHA), volunteered with Yado tending rose gardens, was the Class Counselor since 2003 for the SUNY Albany class of 1949, for which he was awarded the Excellence in Alumni Service Award by SUNY Albany in 2014.

In his leisure time Joe enjoyed playing golf, riding his bicycle, and reading, all of which he did until the last few months of his life. He was an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the UConn women’s basketball team.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Presbyterian-United Church of Christ, 24 Circular Street, Saratoga Springs, NY, on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Presbyterian- United Church of Christ, the Home of the Good Shepherd, Community Hospice of Saratoga and Washington Counties, or VoteBlue.  To leave a message of condolence for the family, please visit www.HansFuneralHome.com.