Lisa Ellen Saffel Zappia died unexpectedly of heart issues on Oct. 29, 2022, at home. Lisa was born in Morgantown to parents Heidi Ann Denis Borges Saffel and Nathaniel Lee Saffel, who preceded her in death. She graduated from Morgantown High School and attended West Virginia University, where she majored in education with an emphasis on special education. While in school, she met the love of her life, Harold Edward Zappia, and they were married in 1989 in the tiny Sugar Grove country church.
After school, the couple left for the Washington D.C. area so Harold could pursue his passion for international relations. Lisa taught school and Harold worked toward qualifying for the U S Department of State Foreign Service, which ultimately led them to the Philippines where son Daniel Robert was born in 1995, then Paris, France, Paraguay, Latvia, Mongolia, Spain and Paris again, with stops in Washington D.C. in-between. Their daughter, Allison Marie, was born in Fairfax, Va. in 2000.
Lisa and Harold and family settled in Shepherdstown, in 2012, when Harold was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and left the Foreign Service. Lisa spent her time helping Harold recover, raising their children and working for Briggs no-kill animal shelter, where she loved to interact with all the critters and helped to find them forever homes. Always devoted to children and animals, she was a tireless champion of the underdog and had a soft spot for anyone, human or animal, that needed help.
Lisa found passion in all different directions, whether it was sewing items to be sold for a beneficial cause, drawing in her free time or being a motherly figure to the many friends she found along the way and around the world. Through any challenge, she found a reason to laugh and make others laugh, even if they didn’t feel they could. Her love was shown in many ways and will have a lasting effect on everyone she touched.
She is survived by her husband, Harold; son, Daniel; daughter, Allison; grandson, Ira Scott Cooper; and will be greatly missed by sisters, Dian (Mark) Selby and Beverly Walker-Gelbert (Lee), brothers, David (Nancy), Stephen (Dana) and Lee (Susan) Saffel and innumerable friends.
A celebration of Lisa’s life is planned for the spring of 2023. Details will be shared on Lisa’s Facebook page and through family. Donations may be made in Lisa’s name to your local animal shelter, or consider giving a dog or cat a forever home. She would be thrilled.
