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Joel Zaba Obituary
In 1972 Dr. Zaba opened his practice on West Little Creek road in Norfolk and later moved his practice in 1997 to Pembroke One in Virginia Beach. Dr. Zaba specialized in working with children with learning disabilities. He influenced his nephew Brian Aftel to become a Vision Therapist and work at his practice to help children with learning related vision issues. Dr. Zaba published his research and lectured internationally on the connection between children, learning, and vision. He appeared on CNN and The Today Show to talk about children's vision and learning.
In 2015 Dr. Zaba received the Virginia Optometric Association's Achievement Award for his service to the community and visual welfare to the public. In 2016 he received the Southern College of Optometry's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his research in Visual Related Learning Problems.
Joel loved books and had a huge library on their 3 RD floor of their house. He was also a huge fan of old classic movies as well as current shows and was often at the Naro Theater on Colley Ave in Ghent. He was an active member at Ohef Sholom Temple and loved all types of music from Cantor Jen and Rabbi Roz singing songs to folk music from long time friends Bob and Jeannie Zentz.
Dr. Zaba is survived by his wife of 34 years, Diane Michelle Zaba; his sister Diane Zaba Aftel of Norfolk; his 2 nephews Brian H. Aftel and Andrew W. Aftel; and numerous cousins.
Memorial contributions may be made to Jewish Family Services or Ohef Sholom Temple. A memorial service will be forthcoming.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Joel Zaba
Sponsored by the family.
Gina Psaki
January 31, 2025
Hard to believe it's been another year. Joel is missed and memories of his ways and sayings surface every day. Love to the Zaba family who miss him.
Brett Spruill
June 28, 2024
So sorry to hear this. Dr Zaba was my eye Dr from the time I was in third grade till his retirement. Took my kids to him as well. Always had a smile on his face and time to talk. He will be greatly missed
Jeannie Pilgrim
May 21, 2024
A wonderful, wonderful Dr. who treated our Son for Dyslexia and helped make him a very successful adult. May you rest in peace and thank you for your dedication to those in need of your help.
Jeannie Pilgrim
Stuart McIvor
January 31, 2024
I still think of you Joel on this the first anniversary of your passing. The kindest person I ever knew.
Rest in Prace.
From Stuart your friend who you first met on a train in the north of Scotland.
Gina Psaki
January 30, 2024
Almost a year on, and so much has changed. We think of Joel and Dede every day. And Diane, Andrew, and Brian, who lost a beloved brother and uncle. A hug from the far-flung Psakis.
Lou Cobb
January 30, 2024
While an education major at ODU I attended a talk Dr. Zaba gave on the relationship of visual problems to learning. Several times during my time as an elementary school teacher recommended to a parent to have their child´s vision tested, this as a result of Dr. Zaba´s talk. Dr. Zaba leaves a living legacy in the improved lives of many people.
Merry Sue Foster
June 16, 2023
I was one of his first patients back in the mid 70s. Definitely learned a lot through my experience. What a brilliant man. This saddens me but I know he made a difference. Blessings to his family.
BONNY L Eads
February 20, 2023
I was a classmate of Joel at SCO and I was fortunate to see him receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at Southern College. He was a dedicated optometrist, an advocate for children's vision, a popular class member, and really caring person. He will be missed, it was an honor to know him.
Bonny Eads,OD
Glen Steele
February 20, 2023
So sorry to hear of Joel's passing. He was a classmate at SCO and we shared interests in children's vision and therpay. Joel and I traveled to Italy together for a series of lectures in the mid 90's
Dr. Jeff Eger
February 15, 2023
Dr. Joel Zaba was a great media communicator and advocate for developing vision skills efficiency in elementary school children and lower junivinile delinquency by developing vision skills. He had chutzpah and did not take a backseat to helping learn disabled, naturally and optometrically,not with amphetamines used today.
Robert Williams, LHD
February 15, 2023
God Speed, Joel. You made a difference in the world. We are better to have known you and lesser that you have passed.
Joseph M. Dzik
February 15, 2023
I was Joel's roommate in optometry school. Thought about him often. He was a great ambassador for V.T. especially in children with visually related learning problems. He will me missed.
Joseph M. Dzik, O.D.
Davele Bursor
February 13, 2023
I have known Joel since we were teenagers and later saw him in our late twenties. He was a lovely, smart and gentle man. Professionally he went out of his way to improve the learning abilities with children who experienced dyslexia. His heart was pure. His intelligence huge. He left a memorable legacy to many. My condolences to his family and good friends
Dr. Davele Bursor, Lake Worth. Florida
Kelly & John Haneklau
February 12, 2023
Dr. Zaba was a dear friend of my fathers. Over the many years, they knew one another, I always heard wonderful stories and fond memories. One time my father was doing some work in his office and I tagged along. I remember him showing me around the office and proudly pointing out what my father had done and how nice he was to me. I especially remember Dr. Zaba speaking at my fathers birthday party one year. His kind and thoughtful speech made a great impression upon me.
Sending love and light to Mrs. Zaba and all who knew and loved him.
Nick Psaki
February 11, 2023
For 34 years, Joel was my brother and my friend. I will miss him greatly. We shared many laughs and had many wonderful conversations. May he rest in peace.
Mrs V Counts
February 7, 2023
So much precious memories Condolences to the entire family, from The Counts family, Vbch.
Amber (Counts) Ary
February 7, 2023
Sending my deepest condolences to all the family and to the many friends of Dr. Zaba. This loss is tremendous. I will never forget his kind spirit, the songs he would sing in between seeing patients and those FUNky ties (the children loved them). He was so much to so many and will absolutely be missed.
Susan Raskin Borte
February 6, 2023
I knew Joel as teenagers! Our paths did not cross for another 50 years. I took my son to him for some eye problems. He was the very same lovely man I knew as kids. Joel was so very kind and generous with his time and helped us enormously. His name popped up just a few days ago as I was speaking with someone else who knew Joel way back then. We were recalling some of the really nice people we knew. Then, two days later, there he was in the paper. I am so sorry to his family and close friends. He was sincerely one of the best!
R. Kanji
February 6, 2023
My deepest condolences to all family members and friends. When I came to the area in 2005, Joel was one of the first colleagues to introduce himself to me. He welcomed me to the area and always made a point to come and talk to me. I am very grateful for the time that I knew him. He was a great man.
Ken Westcott
February 6, 2023
I was saddened when Brian told me the news of Joel's passing. You have my deepest sympathy and condolences. He was always so excited to share the latest developments in his research and practice whenever we would cross paths. I will truly miss his warm smile and quick wit. As iron sharpens iron, Joel always forced me to be sharp and at the top of our shared profession. There is no greater legacy that one could leave than the thousands of children with Learning Related Vision Problems that he has helped over his many years. He most literally changed their lives and our world for the better.
Dr Sam Smaert
February 6, 2023
Joel was always a caring and compassionate individual . Always ready to talk about our profession especially in the case of care of children's vision issues. He will be missed
James E, Powers, OD
February 6, 2023
My sincere condolences to Joel's family. I have met Joel many times over the years and always enjoyed his warm friendship. He was a respected authority in his field of child development and I enjoyed consulting with him in this area. He will be remembered and missed by his collogues and patients I am sure.
Allan S. Zeno, DDS
February 6, 2023
Deepest condolences on your loss.
Allan S. Zeno, DDS, Angel and staff
Gina Psaki
February 6, 2023
Joel loved history, travel, and current events; he was sad to have to stop traveling, but made up for it with a voracious appetite for print and TV journalism. I'll never forget the collection of bright and cheerful ties he'd wear to work, to interest and distract kids who might be scared of "the eye doctor." Not that they could be scared of him for long: he was calm and gentle with his littlest patients, he had a quick sense of humor, and he loved to laugh. I know he made a difference in his profession.
To me he gave, among other things, the earliest and kindest and most helpful feedback I received on giving public presentations. His words stood me in good stead for decades.
Wishing his closest family members and friends the consolation of happy memories. I'm glad to have had him as a brother-in-law for almost forty years.
Robert Titcomb
February 6, 2023
As a contemporary of Joel, I can attest to his trailblazing intellect into the world of Childrens´ Vision. Joel excelled at unraveling and treating the hidden visual mechanisms that contributed or were directly responsible for a learning problem. His passion and his voice for his craft will be sorely missed by me as well as those who knew him . Robert E Titcomb OD 6 Feb Va Beach
Robert Titcomb
February 6, 2023
As a contemporary colleague of Dr Zaba I can attest to his trailblazing intellect into the world of childrens´ vision. Joel excelled in deciphering the hidden visual mechanisms that oft times contributed or were directly responsible for learning problems. Separating the psychological from the visual neuromuscular balance was Joel´s Forte. His voice and his passion for his craft will be missed by me as well as all who knew him. Robert E. Titcomb OD
Robert Titcomb
February 6, 2023
As a contemporary colleague of Joel I can speak to his trailblazing intellect into the world of childrens vision and the hidden mechanisms that oft times contributed to learning problems. Joel was passionate about his craft as he was with his life. His voice and his spirit will be missed by me and all that knew him. Robert E Titcomb OD Developmental Optometrist
Kathleen Fogarty
February 5, 2023
I send love and condolences to Joel´s family at this time. I am happy to have had Joel in my life as a patient and family friend. I first met Joel as a guest on my tv program Good Morning Tidewater in 1980. I learned a lot from him, and always felt fortunate to experience him as a gentle and kind doctor and person.
Greg & Char Johnson
February 5, 2023
It was through a piano teacher and a number of my customers that I was most privileged to have met and worked for Dr. Joel Zaba. His mother, Rubye, set up an appointment for me to meet him, and we immediately connected and struck up a longtime friendship. He needed my services in his Norfolk optometrist office. That eventually turned into helping him in his Virginia Beach office and his home. Over the years, we met his whole family, including Diane. Joel was full of ideas to always better his business for his patients. His caring and loving nature helped so many people with eye issues. His child development process was amazing and a valid testimony that my wife learned from a co-worker because Joel had cured her son's learning disability. Keeping in touch with Joel and Diane over the years was truly my pleasure. I will always remember Joel in the fondest way.
Stuart Roy McIVOR
February 5, 2023
I am very sad to hear of Joel´s passing.
I first met Joel and his lovely wife Diane around 30 years ago on a train in my native Scotland.
We became instant friends. I can honestly say Joel was the kindest man I ever met. I never heard him say a bad thing about anyone.
I visited Joel and Diane in Norfolk and they came to Scotland many times - a country they both love.
He did wonderful work in the community and he has left a great legacy in his specialist medical field.
You will be sorely missed Dear Joel.
Rest in Peace.
Stuart and Cathy
Fern Thompson
February 5, 2023
Such a wonderful man and mentor. He and his advice has stayed with me through all of these years. My heart breaks for your family.
Lou Cobb
February 5, 2023
As an education major at ODU I attended a talk by Dr. Zaba at which he spoke of several simple methods for a teacher to spot a potential vision issue that might be influencing a child´s ability to learn. Thanks to Dr. Zaba´s instruction several of my students received treatment that enabled their greater achievement.
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