Dominick J. Zappia Jr.

Visitation will be 5~7pm Monday, October 7, 2024, at Hennessey Funeral Home, with prayer service at 7 pm.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30am Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Dominick Joseph Zappia Jr., age 75 of
Missouri Valley, Iowa passed away on September 30, 2024.

Dominick Zappia Jr. was born on August 24,
1949, to Dominick Zappia Sr. and Mary Jane Scott in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Dominick grew up in Omaha and
spent his youth running the streets which is where he would meet his lifelong
friends, self-named the 40^th street gang. Dominick and his friends
turned to the blossoming Omaha music scene to escape the streets and formed one
of Omaha’s first successful bands, Crackin’. Dominick promoted and traveled
with the band trying to balance a rockstar life with raising a young family
before settling into a small, lush acreage in the hills of Missouri Valley with
his then wife Kathy, and his 2 (later 3) sons. Dominick thrived in the
underground hippie world in the 70’s and 80’s and his acreage was a haven for
his city friends and where he chose to raise his children. Dominick had a street-smart
survival attitude mixed with a deep faith from his catholic background that
gave him a very unique, lifestyle.

As Dominick grew and matured, he
began focusing more on his faith and service to others. He lived in a Jesuit
priest’s community for a few years and spent many years working in a hospital
where he brought joy and hope to people in crisis. He consistently preached
that we are here to serve and have gratitude and would want this last moment to
remind us of that.

Dominick was very proud of his
family and loved attending his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events
and emphasized academics to his children since he didn’t have that opportunity
in life. He also enjoyed taking family vacations every year to Spirit Lake as
he loved to fish and be with his family. He was known for being able to strike
up a conversation and make friends with anyone and was always showing people a
good time.

Dominick had the first successfully
performed open heart surgery in Omaha on his 13^th birthday which
gave him the opportunity to live a full and colorful life and at 75 his heart
gave out, but he will always remain in the hearts of those he touched from his
mentoring and countless acts of joy and service. He was truly a special person,
and the world won’t be the same without him.

Preceded in death by his parents Walter and
Mary Jane Scott, brother, Randolph Scott, and former spouse Mary Kathleen
“Kathy” Zappia.

Dominick is survived by his sons: Dominick,
Anthony, and Marco, sisters Sandra Richard, Vicki Scott, and Lara Vonderlage,
and 9 grandchildren: Marcus, Aidan, Maya, Vincent, Isaiah, Samuel, Andrew,
Daxton, Jagger and many nieces and nephews.