Arthur Zapel Obituary

Arthur Lewis Zapel

Born: November 17, 1921; in Chicago, IL

Died: September 21, 2018; in Colorado Springs, CO

Arthur Lewis Zapel passed away peacefully on Friday, September 21 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 17th, 1921 to Arthur and Martha (Strechert) Zapel.

Art lived a long life full of accomplishments. At age 16 he was awarded Eagle Scout ranking in the Boy Scouts of America. Later he served as class president at his high school and worked his way through college, graduating from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in English.

Art is best described as a "Renaissance Man". He was as an artist, writer, performer, producer, director, inventor, ad man and entrepreneur. He won numerous awards for his creative talents and is listed in Who's Who in America. He began his career as a radio personality at WOWO radio in Ft. Wayne, Indiana where he met and married Janet Michel in 1948. They relocated to Chicago where Art worked in advertising, eventually becoming creative director/vice president of TV production at J Walter Thompson in the 1960's. While there, he wrote the words to the famous jingle: Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener . . . In the evenings Art worked on creating his own business. In 1972, he founded Meriwether Publishing Ltd., which became a successful family business.

Art was kind and thoughtful and always available for his family. Art and Janet raised three children: Mark, Ted and Michelle in the Chicago area. Sadly, Janet passed away in 1984 just after the family and business had relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In 1986 Art married Cynthia Pisor and became the loving step-father to her children Dawn and Tony. He remained active at Meriwether Publishing and as a writer, painter and sculptor. His work has been shown in several one-man shows and art galleries. He believed that "the artist should breathe some of his own life into the painting" and he did just that. His landscape and abstract paintings are outstanding examples of his unique expressionist style.

Art was preceded in death by daughter, Linda; wife, Janet; and step-son, Tony.

He is survived by his wife, Cynthia; sons, Mark (Diane) and Ted; daughter, Michelle (Rodolfo) Gallardo; and step-daughter, Dawn (Derek) Harman; nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A Celebration of his life with a service of thanksgiving will take place on Saturday, November 17th at 2:00 p.m. at Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Avenue in Colorado Springs.