Olimpio C. Zaino

Mr. Olimpio C. ‘Ollie’ Zaino died Monday, September 16, 2024 at Mary Ann Morse Nursing Home in Natick following a period of declining health. He was 92.

Ollie was born in Concord on February 29, 1932, a son of the late Nicola and Mary (Girardi) Zaino, and was raised in Watertown. After graduating from Watertown High School he proudly served with the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He always recalled his years in the Air Force with great fondness, and he was a supporter of organizations that assisted active duty personnel and veterans. During his service, he gained experience in repairing communications equipment on fighter jets, building on his earlier training in radio repair at Raytheon.

After serving in the military, Ollie received additional engineering training enabling him to work for 29 years as a senior equipment designer for GTE in Newton until his retirement. Ollie and his family lived in Waltham for 43 years. Following the death of his wife, Pauline, in 2001, he moved to Milford and later to Mendon where he made his home with his daughter, Olivia, and her family for 16 years. From 2018 to 2024, he enjoyed being a resident of Mary Ann Morse at Heritage senior living in Framingham.

While living in Mendon, Ollie was a dedicated senior volunteer at Milford Regional Medical Center for a number of years. He also served as an usher at Sacred Heart Church in Hopedale, and was an active participant and volunteer at the Mendon Senior Center. He always enjoyed telling jokes and making people laugh. He was a great sports fan, and especially liked to golf and bowl (he was a bocce and Wii bowling champ at the Senior Center later in life). However, he was especially fond of the New England Patriots and was a lifelong fan, having attended games since their very early days playing at Boston College's field. 

The husband of the late Pauline C. (Paolini) Zaino, he leaves his daughter, Olivia C. Herbert and her husband Glenn Herbert, his grandson, Evan Herbert, and his brother, Albert Zaino. 

Ollie was also a brother of the late Tina Van Scoy.

Graveside services with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 20th in Saint Patrick’s Cemetery, 999 Belmont Street, Watertown.