ForeverMissed
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May 27, 2022
Today we light a candle in memory of Skip, and just say thank you for being you ❤️. In loving memory from Anne Kjersti and Øystein
May 31, 2021
May 31, 2021
There are always special people who cross your path during your life, Dr Zola was one of them.  I was blessed to have worked with him at ZZB for 18 years. Always a kind word and a smile. Grief is the price we pay for love. My prays and thoughts are with you, Ingrid and your family. I want to share a phrase that has helped me cope since my husband passed in August, "Little by little we let go of loss, but never of love."
May 30, 2021
My husband Øystein and I haven’t met Skip very many times, but he was one of those who makes a lasting impression, he really was one of a kind - and a good kind. The first thing he ever said to us, was: Jeg snakker norsk - which means I speak Norwegian. The look in his eyes when he watched his family is unforgettable, you could see how much he loved everyone. The most stubborn person we have met, but kind, warm and loving. He wasn’t talking too much, but had this humorous look in his eyes. I remember him hopefully saying on his 90th birthday that his mother lived till she was 104. We wish he had managed to do the same. He will be deeply missed, and our thoughts go to his loving family.
May 30, 2021
May 30, 2021
Skip, Paul, Dr. Zola, the first Z in ZZB, great friend to my parents, wonderful father and grandfather, whatever name/role he was best known for, he will be missed! Skip was a unique human being who possessed so many wonderful qualities. I knew him as a family friend and fabulous, precise doctor with amazing bedside manner. He was so empathetic and compassionate.
I have fond memories of our families together in Lake George. I also remember a time your dad wanted to pay for dinner at Gum Ying, but he forgot his wallet. We had such a nice visit in Blue Point August, 2018. So glad we spent the day together. Forever in my heart...
May 28, 2021
May 28, 2021
S. PAUL ZOLA, M.D.

June 26, 1926 – May 27, 2021


S. Paul Zola, lovingly known as Skip, passed away peacefully in his home at Meadow Ridge in Redding CT on May 27, 2021, surrounded by his adoring family. 

Skip was born in Brooklyn, NY on June 26, 1926, to Edith & Louis Zola. He married the love of his life, Ingrid K. Zola on September 1, 1956, whom he met at an NYC hospital where she was working as a nurse. He attended Wesleyan University in CT, and the University of Buffalo Medical School, Buffalo, NY. He was a founder, and Chief of Surgery at Franklin General Hospital in Valley Stream, NY with a private medical practice in Valley Stream and Malverne, NY, performing surgeries as a general surgeon, with a specialization in vascular surgery at South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, NY; Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, NY; and Nassau County Medical Center, East Meadow, NY. Skip saved countless lives and helped heal thousands of his patients. He was often sought out for his brilliant diagnostic skills and compassionate care. Additionally, he taught surgery at Stonybrook Medical School in Stonybrook, NY.  At the age of 70, post-retirement and eager to get back in the medical field, he completed the critical care boards to work as an attending surgeon and ER physician at Nassau County Medical Center.

Skip enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday during WWII, and served in the U.S. Army in a M.A.S.H. unit during the Korean War. Though he never mentioned it, his actions not only saved lives medically but in combat as well. Upon return from duty, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for bravery in combat.

A beloved father survived by his wife, Ingrid Kolseth Zola; daughter, Laurie & (David) Gendell; son Gregory Zola & (Mark Leondires); son Brad Zola & (Leanne Mattey Zola); Robert & (Noelle) Zola; and 13 grandchildren: Alex & Erica Gendell; Austin, Isabelle & Elijah Zola; Daniel, Jodie & Jack Mattey; Annaliese, Lauren & Caroline Zola; and Luke & Owen Zola Leondires. He was predeceased by his sister, Muriel Reichle Zola. 

Skip raised his family in Rockville Centre, NY, and resided there for 45 years before retiring to Blue Point, NY and then Meadow Ridge, Redding, CT. He was a lifelong learner, spoke multiple languages, delivered jokes with even more numerous authentic-sounding foreign accents, and played guitar, piano, and the harmonica. Crossword puzzles and reading medical literature kept him busy. An avid and competitive tennis player until age 90, he enjoyed family ski trips and loved sailing his boat in the Great South Bay with his friends and family. 

A friend to many, and one whom you could count on in times of need; a man of few words, but whose heart spoke volumes. In our quest to be the best version of ourselves, Skip led by example, never one to complain or disparage, but to encourage and support.  What we’ll miss is what the world needs most right now - unending compassion, empathy, and love. 

Funeral service

Sunday, May 30, 2021
12:00 PM
Star of David Memorial Chapels
1236 Wellwood Ave.
West Babylon, N.Y.

Burial immediately following at Wellwood Cemetery

SHIVA
2:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Rob & Noelle Zola’s home
37 Heyward Lane, Rockville Centre, NY

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