William Zacchi

William "Bill" Zacchi, 96, of Clinton, passed away at Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville on September 13, 2023.
He was born on February 11, 1927 to the late Assuero and Sarah (Wright) Zacchi in the coal mining town of Highsplint in Harlan County, Kentucky.
He attended Evarts High School, where he played as a tight end on the school football team.
William joined the US Army during World War II and attended the University of Tennessee. He retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he had worked as a chemical operator and served as an officer in the union. He was also a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton.
In 1950, he married "the girl next door", Polly Reed, and they spent the next 64 years together until she passed in 2014. Together they had three children, Larry, Cathy and Debbie.
For most of his life, William enjoyed playing guitar and singing. While in Highsplint, his sister Mary, who also sang and played, gave him his first guitar. He was an enthusiast of opera, symphonic, and chamber music. An avid reader, he developed spelling and vocabulary skills that made him tough competition in family games of Scrabble. He penned several fiery letters to the editor, chiefly concerning political and social justice.
William is quoted speaking of his brothers, John and Pete, in the book, "Brothers in Arms-Remembering Brothers Buried Side by Side in American World War II Cemeteries."
He was preceded in death by his wife Polly; daughter Debbie; and siblings: John, Pete, Lewis, Mary, and Della.
He is survived by his son, William Larry Zacchi of Clinton; daughter, Mary Catherine Zacchi of Parkersburg, WV; grandson, William Ryota Tamura of Tokyo, Japan; as well as several nieces and nephews.
The family will follow William's directive to have a memorial service. Military rites will be rendered prior to the start of the service at 7pm on September 23, 2023. A time of visitation will begin an hour prior at 6pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Young-Williams Animal Center, 3201 Division St, Knoxville.
Online condolences can be made online at holleygamble.com