Dr. Arthur Zampella
Physician • Humanitarian • Public Servant • Conservationalist • Preservationist
Arthur Dante Louis Zampella (May 15, 1917 – January 9, 1992) was a prominent physician, public servant and medical educator. He maintained a private medical practice with a concentration in geriatric care in the State of New Jersey from 1947 to 1992. In 1992, West Milford, New Jersey Mayor Tomas Parisi called Zampella, “A Township father who helped to shape the township of West Milford, New Jersey. Zampella was the Executive Medical Director of Idylease Nursing & Convalescent Home and Director of Idylease Clinical Laboratory from 1954-1972; both located in Newfoundland, New Jersey. He also served as Medical Director for the National Institute for Rehabilitation Engineering (NIRE) from 1970-1989. He was the Executive Director of The West Milford Day Center and Medical Director of the Idylease Guidance Center from 1975-1980. Arthur Dante Louis Zampella was a general practitioner who owned and operated Idylease Nursing Home in the Newfoundland section of West Milford Township, from 1954-1972. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Italian American immigrants Erminio and Filomena Zampella who were from the Santomenna Province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. He was one of Five brother that included: Peter Zampella, Nunzi Zampella, Municipal Judge Edward F. Zampella and Alfred E. Zampella. The youngest son Alfred had Public School No. 27 re-named in his honor by the Jersey City Board of Education in 1996.
Medical Education
Columbia University • Boston University School of Medicine • NYU
Zampella received his Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University in New York City in 1938 where he served as Managing Editor of the Columbia Review from 1937-1938. In 1943, he received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Boston University Medical School. He completed post graduate training at the Graduate Medical School of New York University with a course study in bacteriology and biochemistry. Zampella served as the Senior Ship surgeon for American President Lines and Port Surgeon for Grace Lines in 1947.
In 1949, he attended the former United States Naval Medical School in Bethesda, Maryland, now know as the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with a course of study in medical radioactive isotopes. Further studies in medicine were completed at the Naval Research Center in Washington, D.C. with a study in nuclear physics completed at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Zampella served as a Research Analyst with Armstrong Engineering fro 1961-1970 where he studied the factors involved with reducing the vulnerability of humans to radiation in order to maintain aviation preparedness and ancillary studies related to the suppression and reversal of the ageing process. Zampella served as a Project Officer authoring; Naval Implications of Nuclear Warfare and the Biological Effects of Radiation.
Zampella maintained hospital affiliations with the Jersey City Medical Center and Christ Hospital (Jersey City, New Jersey); St Clares/Riverside Hospital in Denville, New Jersey; The US Naval Hospital , St Albans in Long Island, NY and Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. He also maintained his private practice at Idylease until his death on January 9, 1992.
Published Author
Click Text Links to ReadJournal of the American Geriatrics Society • Sociological Environment for the Elderly
We Can Defend Ourselves
As a lifelong scholar, Zampella’s writings are reflected in his authorship of many published medical articles, chapters and books on various aspects of aging and geriatric care as well as ethical, socio-economic and philosophic discussion in these fields. Over the course of his career, he authored numerous articles for the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Many of his writings continue to be cited and are widely considered as authoritative and recognized as reliable sources of information due to their accuracy and expertise. With an established reputation within the field of geriatric care and Nuclear Medicine, Dr Arthur Zampella authored, 'We Can Defend Ourselves' for the Jersey City Defense Counsel and wrote the preface and made medical revisions for the best selling book: ‘The Stork Didn’t Bring You’ for author Lois Pemberton.
Columbia UniversityEditor of The Columbia Review
Arthur Zampella received his Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University on June 1, 1938. He was admitted to the school at the young age of sixteen. In addition to having held a King’s Crown Scholarship Award, he was also the youngest managing editor of “The Columbia Review” in the School's history.
United States NavyPacific Theater of Operations WWII
Arthur Zampella deployed during WWll as Medical Officer onboard the USS Samuel Chase which arrived at the 111th, United States Naval Construction Battalion at Calicoan Island, Philippines in 1945. He later traveled on as Supervising Medical Officer to United States Naval Base Hollandia at Humboldt Bay in Netherlands, New Guinea.
Idylease Nursing Home1954-1972
In 1954, Dr Arthur DL Zampella moved his practice from his Journal Square office located in Jersey City, NJ to Newfoundland. He purchased a historic former resort hotel called Idylease Inn. There he diligently owned/operated Idylease Nursing Home for many years while serving as its Staff Medical Director from 1954 to 1972.
Awards/Recognition
Honors Bestowed for Humanitarian Service
Chevalier of the Knights of MaltaSovereign Military Order of Malta
Dr. Arthur Zampella was knighted in 1988 as 'Commander' by the Knights of Malta for providing humanitarian assistance for travel and medical assistance to the country of Haiti for which purpose the organization has permanent observer status at the United Nations General Assembly since 1994.
Boy Scouts of AmericaThe Silver Beaver Award
Arthur Zampella was recongnized for making an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the Three Rivers District. It is bestowed upon those persons who have given continued, unselfish, and effective service to the community. The award was approved by the BSA National Court of Honor.
Citizen of the YearWest Milford Township, 1990
Dr. Arthur Zampella was recognized for his 'Quiet, self-effacing manner and for his many years of servicing our youngsters, on the playing fields, in the Cub and Boy Scouts, the YMCA and actively organizing youth counseling boards to improve the lives of the young and old of West Milford, NJ.'
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Dr. Arthur Zampella
Lt. Commander, USN WWII
Dr. Arthur Zampella
Chairman, Bevington Arts Festival
WM Citizen of the Year
Read Citation-EDITED FROM
THE WEST MILFORD CITIZEN OF THE YEAR CITATION
January, 26, 1990
Medical World News Cover
December 1966
"I believe
that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity,
an obligation; every possession, a duty.
I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world;
that it alone can overcome hate;
that right can and will triumph over might."
-JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR.
January 9, 1992
"West Milford Had a Great Loss on this Day"Click to Read Article
–THE WEST MILFORD ARGUS
On Jan 9, 1992, Arthur Dante Louis Zampella, M.D. was stricken with a fatal heart attack while treating patients in his medical office in the Newfoundland section of the Township of West Milford. Zampella was transported to and died at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey at age 74; the cause of death Cardiac arrest. A service in celebration of Zampella’s life was held at the United Methodist Church of Newfoundland. Burial was at the Newfoundland Cemetery on Route 23. The Rev. Frank Fowler officiated at the service and included a eulogy by Father Mychal Judge who was subsequently killed in the September 11 attacks in New York City. All speakers at the memorial service stressed Zampella’s dedication to help others. Fowler recalled that, “People who were ill and could not afford to pay a doctor were treated by the physician anyway”.
About Richard Zampella
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Richard Zampella is the son of Dr. Arthur Zampella. As an American Film and Television producer he has numerous documentaries that have appeared on American Public Television. His work is broadcast in Europe on PBS America and Sky TV. Zampella received a Critics’ Pic from the New York Times for the feature documentary, Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen, which is narrated by Sam Waterston. For Warner Home Video, he produced Sergeant York: Of God & Country which is narrated by Liam Neeson, a PBS documentary on Elmore Leonard which is narrated by Campbell Scott and Inside High Noon for American Public Television that is narrated by Mathew Rhys.
Zampella is a Conservationist who manages Idylease Tree Farm at Idylease. His father, Dr. Arthur Zampella was awarded the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the year in 1991 for his tree farm at Idylease. As a Preservationists, Richard Zampella owns and operates Idylease Inn which is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.