Submitted by Vera Nickols Turner 

Patricia Ann Zappone

May 27, 1952 - February 14, 2022

On February 14, 2022, a beautiful life came to an end.
Known to her friends as Patti, Patricia Ann Zappone (Nickels) was born on May 27, 1952, in Birmingham, Alabama. The oldest child and the first born daughter of Tommy Charles and Patsy Ruth (Moore) Nickels. She was raised in Chula Vista, California, where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Carl Mario Zappone. He preceded her in death in 2007.
She always worked full time starting in high school earning her own money and paying her own way through life. Her work ethics were astounding, working in collections and later in HUD assessment at a local senior retirement home near her home in Chula Vista.
Patricia was a loving and compassionate person who enjoyed riding on Harleys, camping in the desert, sitting by the fire, having a beer, laughing and exchanging stories with her friends who she was fiercely loyal to.
She loved to play pool and played on a team winning many trophies. She was a lover of animals and children, though she had no children of her own. Her lifelong charities were St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and ASPCA Animal Rescue.
Our sister was also an avid reader from a very young age and always had a book in her hands. As an adult, she became a collector of books. After books, gardening was a passion and roses were her chosen flowers. Like her roses, she was delicate and wild.
She moved back to Alabama in 2016 to be near family and in 2018 she was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease (AD) at the age of 66.

AD gave her many long struggles that quickly took away her personality. Her family had to watch her digression with memory and physical changes. Our sister was alive, but wasn’t living. Piece by piece she left her memories and us behind.
Our sister had a generous heart with a ready smile and laugh for her family and many friends.
Goodbyes hurt the most when the story was not finished, and our sister had more chapters to explore. Her family wants to express their appreciation to Encompass Hospice who truly understands the holistic approach to palliative care and to her lifelong friend, Eddie, whose devotion to her spanned over 56 years.
We are comforted knowing that our sister is finally at peace and that Patricia Zappone knows who Patricia is again.
The battles are over and today starts the first chapter in eternity. She died as she lived; everyone’s friend.                                                                                            Patricia was preceded in death by her parents, Tommy and Patsy Nickels, who both passed away in 2020. She is survived by her brother, Wayne Nickels (Linda Rae sister-in-law); sisters, Virginia Perkins and Vera Turner; her beloved aunt, Virginia Mckinney; along with many nieces and nephews and cousins.

https://www.messmergoodwin.com/obituary/patricia-zappone?fbclid=IwAR0STN3Z8tEtJyhcm_2v3wwgaH3fkKhDMxj8_lMaSn19u785-QJxrTXsbuU