Arthur Zapel Obituary

Zapel
ARTHUR LEWIS ZAPEL
November 17, 1921 September 21, 2018
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, 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, ad man and entrepreneur. He won numerous awards for his creative talents and is listed in Who's Who in America. Art 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 the 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... Art spent his evenings working 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. Art served as president of the of Colorado Springs Symphony Council and was a member of the Colorado Springs Rotary Club. He became president of the Art Students League of Colorado Springs and of the Westcliffe Center for the Arts.
Art remained active at Meriwether Publishing and as a writer, painter and sculptor. Much of his time was spent enjoying the beauty of the outdoors with his wife Cynthia at his home in Westcliffe, Colorado. It was here that he wrote his first novel "Sweet Uncertainty" which he dedicated to his step-son Tony Pisor. He created hundreds of artworks that have found homes throughout the West and in the Chicago area. 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, his daughter Michelle (Rodolfo) Gallardo and his step-daughter Dawn (Derek) Harman, 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bemis School of Art at Colorado College, or the Sangres Art Guild, Westcliffe, Colorado.
A celebration of his life with a service of thanksgiving will take place on Saturday, November 17th at 2:00p.m. at the Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Avenue in Colorado Springs.