Obituary for Xenophon “Xen” Zapis Xenophon “Xen” Zapis Loving husband of Smaragda Zapis (deceased), devoted father of Maria Wymer (James), Lee Zapis (Ageleke), Donna Thomas (Scott), Renee Seybert (Brad). Grandfather to Matthew Wymer, Margeaux Wymer, Robert Thomas, Zachary Seybert, Marielle Seybert, Christian Seybert and Demis Salivaras. In addition, his cherished goddaughter Lynne Salivaras, and his beloved cousins Stavro and Flora Salivaras survive him.
He was called “Nono” (godfather) by many that always showed their love and respect for him. “A handsome lad of 15, blessed with a winning smile and a will to succeed”. That’s how Xenophon “Xen” Zapis was described in a newspaper article announcing the Cleveland Exchange Club’s annual Gold Deeds Award in 1941.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more apt description of Xen. He was born in 1926 to Louis and Mary Hazapis who had immigrated to Cleveland in the early 1920s. Zapis liked to joke that he was born in left field of Progressive Field because that was where the Greek and Syrian neighborhood was located in the ‘20s.
Zapis’ parents instilled in him a desire to succeed and the work ethic needed to achieve success, a trait he passed on to his children and grandchildren. Xen was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Nothing gave him more joy than spending time with his family and friends.
From an early age, Xen was always finding ways to support his mother, Danny and himself. After his father passed away when Xen was only 14 years old, he did every job imaginable to help his mother, as did his brother Danny. Because Xen grew up without a father, he has been particularly sensitive to people growing up without their parents.
A kind hearted and generous spirit, Xen served as a father figure to many – offering excellent advice with a unique and clever delivery. Above all, his advice was always effective because it was genuine; formed through years of hard work. Whether he was delivering papers, selling beer at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium [then, as we would expect of his ingenuity, selling the empty beer crates to shorter fans in standing room only!
], to selling Christmas cards door-to-door in a neighborhood he later learned was predominantly Jewish – each endeavor taught him valuable lessons that would serve him well in the future. He passed on those life and business lessons in the stories he told his children and grandchildren. Early in his life, he exhibited the leadership skills that would fuel his success.
He was a president of Boys Town and president of his senior class at John Hay High School. After graduating from high school, he was drafted into the United States Army. Upon receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1947, Xen returned to Cleveland where he enrolled in Fenn College.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and in 1954 he earned his Juris Doctorate (JD) from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. In 1949, while working fulltime and attending law school, Xen began producing and hosting a Greek radio program, a wise and impactful decision. And in 1952 he made the most important and best decision in his life by asking Smaragda “Lula” Petrakis (Σμαράγδα Πετράκι) to marry him.
They married in 1952, and the new Mrs. Zapis became co-host of the Greek Radio Program and Xen’s lifelong partner. They were married for 64 years. While building his law practice Xen and Lula continued to host the Greek radio program.
Up to this point, radio was a part-time endeavor for them. In 1962 Zapis and three partners launched WZAK. The station’s format featured various ethnic programs including Xen and Lula’s Greek radio program.
For the next 19 years, WZAK would be the radio voice of Cleveland’s many ethnic communities, providing each with important news, announcements, social goings on and music from their respective homelands. And during these 19 years, Xen and Lula hosted the Greek Program, tuned into by much of the local Greek community seeking to stay current on news from Greece as well as their local Greek-American community. By 1980 Xen had become the majority owner of WZAK.
The following year Xen, along with his children Maria and Lee, changed the format of WZAK to urban contemporary. That began a consistent rise to the top of the radio ratings in Cleveland. Over the years Zapis Communications-owned stations in Atlanta, Boston, Akron, and Youngstown and had won many national awards.
When the company was sold in 1999 it was part of the largest radio deal in Cleveland history. Zapis was also an active real estate developer and an early proponent of assisted living facilities. He built one of the first assisted living facilities on the west side of Cleveland.
Because of his respect for elders, he devoted part of his career to helping older adults with affordable housing. He developed many apartment buildings and other residential projects during his career. He cofounded WXZ Development, one of Northeast Ohio’s premier developers of multi-family housing.
Throughout his career, Zapis has served on various boards including the Ohio Association of Broadcasters. He was also a past president of the Apartment and Home Owners Association, the Exchange Club, the Cleveland chapter of the American Hellenic Education Progressive Association (AHEPA) and the Parish Council of St. Demetrios in Rocky River, Ohio and St. Katherine in Naples, Florida. In 2007, Xen and Lula led the campaign and created the Zapis Activity Center at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Rocky River, Ohio.
In 1993 he received the Award for Excellence by the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters. He was nominated as an Entrepreneur of the Year by E&Y in 1995. He is also a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and was named an Archon of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Xen and Lula Zapis established the Zapis Family Charitable Foundation in 1999 to support various charitable organizations in Northeast Ohio. Philanthropy was a part of his DNA. Xen and his late wife Lula loved to travel and were fortunate to have visited five continents.
That love of travel and an interest in other cultures was a gift that he and his wife gave his children and grandchildren. The family of Xen Zapis wishes to express their sincere and profound appreciation for his caregivers: Tony Rosa, Jackie Crouch, Stacey Russ, Alison Cameron Murphy and Ann Mansnerus. We would also like to thank the dedicated and compassionate staff at his beloved Rockport Senior Living.
Their respect and care made our father’s life better. We also appreciate the kind team at Crossroads Hospice and Bud Linder at Yurch Funeral Home. VISITATION at the YURCH FUNERAL HOME, 5618 Broadview Rd.
Parma on SUNDAY from 4-7 PM. TRISAGION SERVICE at 6:30. FUNERAL SERVICE on MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018 at 11 AM at THE ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, 2187 W 14th St, Cleveland.
Entombment Private. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Zapis Activity Center at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Rocky River. www.
yurchfunerals.com To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Xenophon “Xen” Zapis please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details PRIVATE AK, , Previous Events Visitation , JUN 17. 04:00 PM – 07:00 PM Yurch Funeral Home 5618 Broadview Rd.
Parma, OH, US, 44134 information@yurchfunerals.com www. yurchfunerals.com/ Trisagion Service , JUN 17. 06:30 PM Yurch Funeral Home 5618 Broadview Rd.
Parma, OH, US, 44134 information@yurchfunerals.com www. yurchfunerals.com/ Funeral Service , JUN 18.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
