The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Longtime nurseryman Jim Zampini dies
Jim Zampini was a nationally recognized nurseryman and one of the leading figures in the Lake County industry.
Crimson Pointe Flowering Plum trees were in full, fragrant blossom across northern Ohio when James Zampini died on April 15 at his home in Fairport Harbor.
The flourish was apropos.
Zampini, 85, was a nationally recognized nurseryman and one of the leading figures in the thriving Lake County nursery industry for more than six decades.
“Jim was part of the life blood of our industry,” said Tim Brotzman, owner of Brotzman’s Nursery, Inc. in Madison Township and a past president of the Nursery Growers of Lake County.
Zampini either patented or helped refine the Crimson Pointe Flowering Plum and upwards of 300 varieties of flowering trees, shade trees and shrubs.
The Painesville native was the longtime CEO of Lake County Nursery Inc. in Perry Township, a business now run by his son, Joe Zampini. In 2009, he joined his daughter, Maria Zampini, as a founder of Upshoot LLC, a boutique horticultural marketing firm based in Madison Township.
A past president of the Nursery Growers of Lake County and honorary life member of the Ohio and International Chapters of the International Society of Arboriculture, Zampini was active in an array of civic endeavors, including the Lake Metroparks Board of Park Commissioners and the board of the American Heart Association.
“Because he was so identified with the nursery business, I’m not sure people appreciated the depth of his involvements in other areas,” Brotzman said.
He also was the director emeritus of Lake Erie College in Painesville and the beautification and community liaison in Fairport Harbor.
“My father was one busy man, right to the end,” Maria Zampini said, chuckling.
Zampini is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margaret, two children, four grandchildren and sister, Patricia “Patty” Zampini of Perry Township. Spear Mulqueeny Funeral Homes will handle the arrangements.
The son of Felix Zampini and Mary Elizabeth Sallay Zampini was born on Feb. 28, 1932, in Painesville. He gravitated to the fields as an adolescent and teenager, working for various rose growers in the Mentor and Painesville areas.
“He was tireless,” Joe Zampini said. “It was nothing for him to go from dusk to dawn.”
In 1946, on a quarter-acre
The Painesville native was the longtime CEO of Lake County Nursery Inc. in Perry Township, a business now run by his son, Joe Zampini. In 2009, he joined his daughter, Maria Zampini, as a founder of Upshoot LLC, a boutique horticultural marketing firm based in Madison Township.
parcel in Painesville, his father opened the family’s first nursery, Felix Zampini and Sons. The other son was the late Fred Zampini.
A 1949 graduate of Harvey High School, Jim Zampini worked at the family business and at Fisher Foods in Geneva as produce manager. In 1957, he went into the nursery business full-time when Felix Zampini purchased a 25acre farm in Perry Township that became the cornerstone for Lake County Nursery Inc.
Zampini would grow the business that had as many as 250 employees. Its spin-offs were South Ridge Trucking, Champion Garden Towne and New Plants Inc.
“He was ahead of his time,” Maria Zampini said. “He was a big believer in marketing before marketing was done in the nursery business. He was doing agritourism before there was agritourism. He was a big idea man.”
Over a period of many years, Zampini compiled a history of the Lake County nursery industry dating from the late 19th century until modern times. He kept those photographs, newspaper and magazine articles and other historical tracts in meticulously
neat scrapbooks. He was a gifted storyteller who eagerly shared his knowledge of the nursery industry, the owners of those nurseries and the men and women who worked in the fields and greenhouses.
Zampini maintained a full working schedule despite a long battle with heart disease that required, Maria Zampini said, two triple-bypass surgeries, numerous stent procedures, and, in February, a second aortic valve replacement at Cleveland Clinic.
Retirement was never an option.
“That was not in his genetic make-up. Work was all he knew,” Maria Zampini said.
Brotzman said he was aware of Zampini’s health issues but always marveled at his energy, skills in the propagation of nursery stock and forward-thinking outlook on life.
“JZ was here last week, checking on some of the vintage apple tree varieties he developed and asked me to plant at our nursery,” Brotzman said.
Those apple trees, now 4 feet tall and prospering, according to Brotzman, will be resplendent with blossoms of red and pink in days to come.
Mass of Christian Burial for James William Zampini, age 85, will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 20, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 523 Plum Street, Fairport Harbor. Family and friends may call from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, at St. Anthony’s.
Mr. Zampini was born February 28, 1932, in Painesville and passed away April 15, 2017, at his residence in port.
Jim led a very full and active life. He was a member of St. Anthony’s Church and a 1949 graduate of Harvey High School. He was owner and partner in UpShoot LLC in Madison; former CEO of Lake County Nursery Exchange in Perry; beautification and munity liaison for the Village of Fairport Harbor; former scape consultant for the Cleveland Clinic Foundation; current member of AmericanHort, Ohio Nursery & Landscape ciation, Nursery Growers of Lake County, Ohio, North lina Nursery & Landscape Association, Oregon Association of Nurseries; and past member of ANLA Botanical Gardens & Arboreta Committee, Ohio Governor’s Commission of culture and Ohio Nursery Stock Marketing Program.
Jim was also involved in many numerous organizations and beautification projects throughout Lake County, ing Lake Erie College Campus, Painesville Route 2 and Richmond Street interchange, Downtown Painesville and Downtown Madison, Perry Public Schools/Few Arboretum, Lake Metroparks and numerous churches in Madison, Perry, Painesville and Fairport.
He received many honors and awards for his volunteer work and community involvement: 2004 Nursery Growers of Lake County, Ohio Honorarium; 1996 Distinguished bution Award from Ohio Nursery & Landscape Assoc.; 1994 Honorary Life Membership in Ohio & International Chapter of International Society of Arboriculture; 1993 Inducted ber of Harvey Alumni Graduates Assoc. of Distinguished Graduates; 1992 Outstanding Citizen Award from Painesville Chamber of Commerce; 1990 Americans of Italian Heritage “Person of the Year” Award; 1990 Service Above Self Award from the Rotary Club of Painesville; and 1989 Community Service Award from Madison/Perry Chamber of Commerce.
Jim was a volunteer, committee member, chairman and director for several organizations, including Lake Erie lege, Lake Metroparks Board of Park Commissioners, Lake County Cooperative Extension Service, Lake County cal Society, Lake County Tourism Board, Lake County Cathoparents, lic Service Bureau, Lake Area Hazardous Material Advisory Council, Lake County Grand Jury, American Heart Assoc., American Heart Assoc. Heart Walk, Boy Scouts of America Campaign, Lakeland Community College Campaign and ketran Campaign.
Jim is survived by his wife, Margaret L. (Oresko) ni; daughter, Maria (Robert) Zampini Pettorini; son, Joseph (Marci) Zampini; four grandchildren, Jacob Joseph ni, Robert James Pettorini, Abby Rose Zampini and Kayla Grace Zampini; and sister, Patricia Zampini.
He was preceded in death by Felix and Mary lay) Zampini; brother, Fred Zampini; and infant sisters, Carol and Rose Zampini.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jim’s memory to St. Anthony’s Church in Fairport Harbor, the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.