Fr. Frank Zanni 1955-2025

Fr. Zanni will always be remembered for his humbleness, generosity, leadership and devotion to his family, parishioners and friends.

Frank was born March 13, 1955, in Ellwood City, Pa., to Louis and Irene Cipro Zanni, and came from a family of six other siblings. He was the oldest son of the five boys, and at the age of 2, his family moved to Lowellville and his family then moved to Struthers when he was 3 years old.

The family made their home on Morrison Street in Struthers close to the schools and the church of St. Nicholas where his family were lifelong members and where he attended grade school for eight years, graduating in 1969. After graduating from St. Nicholas school, he and his siblings attended and graduated from Struthers High School, just a few blocks from their home.

He graduated in 1973 and was employed at the time for the Stambaugh-Thompson Company as a stock boy at the Boardman Plaza store.

He began seeking a career in advertising and public relations at YSU, in the fall of 1973. With an area of concentration compatible to retail business, Fr. Zanni was elevated to the company’s advertising department in 1978, eventually becoming the Stambaugh-Thompson Company’s assistant advertising manager.

He kept that position until 1982, when feeling called to pursue a new journey in life, he felt drawn to the priesthood. He entered the minor seminary, the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus in the fall of 1982. With one year of courses transferred from YSU, Fr. Zanni graduated from the Pontifical College Josephinum in May of 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.

In the fall of 1985, it brought Fr. Zanni to Mount St. Mary’s of the West (the Athenaeum) in Cincinnati, where he embarked on a five-year program that began his final journey to the priesthood. After two years of theological study at the Athenaeum, Fr. Zanni returned to the Diocese of Youngstown for a one-year parish internship. He was assigned to Our Lady of Peace Parish in Canton, under the pastorate of the late Fr. John Nentwick.

In the fall of 1988, he returned to the Athenaeum for his final two years of study. On Dec. 9, 1989, Fr. Zanni was ordained a transitional deacon by the late Bishop Benedict Franzetta at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown. On June 9, 1990, Fr. Zanni was ordained to the priesthood by the late Bishop James Malone at St. Columba Cathedral.

His first assignment as an associate pastor was at St. Patrick Church in Hubbard, from 1990 to 1995 under the pastorates of the late Fr. Thomas Murphy and the late Fr. Tim O’Neill. In 1995, Fr. Zanni was assigned to St. Luke Church in Boardman under the pastorate of the late Fr. Joseph Fata from 1995 to 1996. In 1996, Fr. Zanni was assigned to St. Rose Church in Girard under the pastorate of the late Msgr. Martin Susko.

In the fall of 1998, Fr. Zanni was assigned to his first (and only) pastorate by Bishop Thomas Tobin at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Vienna. In 2010, St Vincent de Paul in Vienna merged with St. Bernadette Church in Masury, creating a new parish under the patronage of St. Thomas the Apostle. The merger process was a seven-year undertaking that also led to the construction of the new St. Thomas the Apostle Church, which was dedicated on the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle on July 3, 2016, by the late Bishop George Murry.

Fr. Zanni retired from active ministry on Sunday, May 30, 2021, after almost 31 years in the priesthood and 23 years as pastor in Vienna. In the 31 years of service to the Diocese, Fr. Zanni was assigned to be on the Diocesan Priests’ Council three times under three different bishops, he was on the Bishops Counselors Board, the Diocesan Worship Commission, the Dean of Trumbull County, and in the past, he was spiritual advisor to the Ursuline Sisters AIDS ministry. He was also involved in the local ecumenical outreach to area churches in the Vienna area.

He helped plan and participated in the ecumenical Thanksgiving service every year and through his leadership, had St. Thomas the Apostle Church host the Lenten Luncheons on the Wednesdays of Lent where pastors from various Christian churches spoke each week, including the chaplain at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

He is survived by two sisters, Virginia (John) Gordon of Delaware, Ohio, and Carol of Palm Harbor Florida; and two brothers, David of Chillicothe and Steven (Emily) of Chicago, Illinois. He is also survived by countless friends throughout his life that became so close in love and friendship to him, that he considered them part of his family, including his best friend of over 30 years, Milan Paurich.

He will be sadly missed by all. Fr. Zanni was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Irene; two brothers, Fr. James Zanni and John Zanni; 14 aunts and uncles, and several cousins, all from the Zanni and Cipro families.

Family and friends may pay their respects to Father Zanni from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, Feb. 19, 2025, at. St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 4453 Warren-Sharon Road, Vienna, where Vespers will be prayed at 7 p.m.

There will be additional time to pay respects to Father Zanni from 11 until 11:45 a.m. on Thursday morning, Feb. 20, 2025, at. St. Thomas the Apostle Church, where a Funeral Mass will take place at noon, with the Most Rev. David J. Bonnar as celebrant.

Internment will take place later that day in St. John the Baptist Cemetery in Coitsville, where he will join many members of his family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Thomas the Apostle Church mortgage fund , 4453 Warren-Sharon Road, Vienna, Ohio. 44473 or to the Ursuline Sisters AIDS Ministry.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the professional care of the Rossi and Santucci Funeral Home, 4221 Market St., Boardman.

Family and friends may visit www.rossisantuccifh.com to view this obituary and send condolences to Father Zanni’s family.

(special notice)