The Idylease building has a black drape over the porch in 1992 to mourn the death of Dr. Arthur Zampella, M.D. (
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The date of Jan. 9 marks the 34th anniversary of the death of Dr., Arthur Dante Louis Zampella, M.D., whose countless proposed projects to benefit West Milford’s people included construction of a regional hospital in Newfoundland. There were many roadblocks, but Arthur never completely abandoned that dream. The 12 acres of property next to the Idylease building that he donated for Lakecrest General Hospital remain vacant. The hospital was not built.
It was bitterly cold with snow on the ground the day in 1992 when the doctor suffered a fatal heart attack while caring for a patient in his medical office. Working as the Idylease publicity director, I had finished preparing advertising copy with Business Administrator Neil Malloy in his office in the Idylease building and was heading to the medical office for final approval of the ads by the doctor.
A distraught patient going to the office stopped me to say that a black Lincoln or Mercury had just left the office with the doctor seated in the passenger-side back seat. The man said the doctor tried to raise his hand to wave to him but obviously could not do so. His wife, Alice Seeley Zampella, was office nurse and left in the car with the doctor when he became ill. Public information later that day said Zampella, 74, died of a massive heart attack at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair.
In a shocked community the Township Council honored Zampella at their meeting that night with a moment of silence. Mayor Thomas Parisi said the doctor was a township father who helped shape the town. Councilman Carl Richko described him as being “kind and intelligent and always a gentleman.” He said a known fact was that only five percent of the population did community work and the doctor topped that list. A memorial service was held at the United Methodist Church, and he was buried in the Newfoundland cemetery.
At the time of his death, Zampella had so many ideas and plans to benefit people. Besides the hospital construction efforts, he proposed building small cottages for senior citizens with medical services, a restaurant, hairdresser and other services available in the Idylease building. He was one of the first area people visualizing a senior housing community, such as the popular ones now available. His requests for necessary approvals associated with his projects were all denied by township boards. The Idylease building was converted into a nursing home where older people resided.
Zampella was township school district physician and police and fire surgeon. He served as Board of Health President, was director of the West Milford Day Care Center for Senior Citizens and volunteered on the township youth and advisory board. He was on the Boy Scouts executive board and was on the West Milford Youth and Family Counseling Board. He belonged to the West Milford Rotary Club and served as Crop Walk chair for West Milford and Jefferson Townships. Zampella was honored as West Milford Citizen of the Year in 1990 and he also received the West Milford Police Benevolent Association Community Service Award.
When the doctor bought the Idylease Building and surrounding acreage in 1972 he was viewed by longtime residents in the close-knit municipality as an outsider. It took awhile but eventually his positive attitude and kindness to others were acknowledged, even by some of his severest critics. His son Richard Zampella is now the property owner and is dedicated to preserving Idylease in memory of his father and those who were there before him.
