Michael John Zappa

Michael John Zappa, beloved husband, cherished father, and hardworking chef, was born in 1949 in Hudson, WI. His large family consisted of parents Eugene and Cecelia, brothers Pat, Joe, and Eugene and sisters Jody, Mary, and Theresa.
His passion for cooking and serving food began at age 16 when he started helping in the kitchen at Sam's Restaurant in North Hudson, WI. He chose to dedicate his life to this passion and was happiest in the kitchen serving family, friends, and large groups.
On a fateful November day in 1968 at the London Inn, to watch the band 1910 Fruitgum Company he met Mary, a young woman studying in Eau Claire, WI. Ironically, one of their hit songs was entitled 'When We Get Married' and in August of 1973 - Mike and Mary were married in Green Bay, WI.
Mike was the proud father of two children, Melissa and Brian. Mike was an attentive and fun-loving father, taking the kids to parks, coaching sports teams, and getting involved in the Boy Scouts as a troop leader. Michael loved long walks with his dog, Romeo, and could often be seen along IL-19 with his dog and his pack and he trained for his lifelong goal of hiking the Grand Canyon's Rim-to-Rim Trail. He achieved this goal in 2010 at age 60, hiking 48 miles in 14 days - a feat that was chronicled in Boys Life Magazine.
Mike remained a cook until 2020, when he retired from the kitchen, but his passion for cooking never wavered. He could often be found cooking spaghetti dinners or pancake breakfasts for Boy Scout troop 65 and United Methodist Church. His retirement was spent with the love of his life, Mary; watching his beloved Western movies; trying new recipes; providing encouragement to his children; and feeding the neighborhood cats. He was a kind, jovial, and humble man who will be missed by all who knew him.
After-service gathering will be held at Pau Hana Lounge in Wood Dale.
Leis encouraged.
A Celebration of Life will be held in River Falls, WI on Saturday, May 11th 2024.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hinsdale Humane Society or PAWS Chicago.