Linda Marie Zampelli

Linda Marie (Wright) Zampelli, 73, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, died on February 10 at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, Columbia, MD, surrounded by her loving family.

Linda was born and raised in Dundalk, MD, and attended Patapsco High School where she developed language proficiencies in both Spanish and Italian. Linda began her federal employment at the Social Security Administration in 1973 as a GS-2. Over the next 38 years she earned numerous performance awards and built an illustrious career which culminated in her retirement in 2011 as a GS-15 Division Director.

Linda was a member of St. Mark Church in Catonsville, MD, where she attended mass every week. She volunteered with the Notre Dame Club of Maryland serving meals at Beans and Bread in Baltimore City and the Casey Cares Foundation for critically ill children and their families.

Linda was an avid reader, always having in her hands a book, nook, or kindle. She enjoyed classic rock, motown, blues, New Orleans jazz and country music. Her cell phone ringtone—Back in Black by AC/DC!

She was a diehard Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Baltimore Ravens football fan, but the love she had for her Baltimore Orioles was unmatched. Highlights of Linda’s North American travels included Alaska, the canyons of the Southwest, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, WY, the Grand Tetons, the cities of Eastern Canada, and the Canadian Rockies. Linda enjoyed a number of European river cruises and ocean cruises of the Mediterranean and British Isles, but her all-time favorite trip was a bus tour of Italy that took her from Milan, to Venice, Florence, Siena, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Pompeii. As much happiness as all that brought to her, nothing brought Linda more happiness than spending time with and creating traditions for her family and friends. Christmas cookie dough preparation and baking days, and annual pilgrimages to the Wise Avenue Christmas Train Garden and Squire’s Restaurant in Dundalk brought her pure joy. And

anyone who Linda knew who had no place to go on any holiday was always extended an invitation to have a seat at her table.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents John and Toby (Josey) Wright, and her grandson Logan Jackson. She is survived by her husband Ernest Zampelli, son David DeLauro of Catonsville, MD, stepson Joseph Zampelli and wife Hannah of Crownsville, MD, stepdaughter Rachel (Zampelli) Jackson and husband Mercer of Severna Park, MD, brother Michael Wright of Tulsa, OK, grandchildren Elyse DeLauro, Nicolas DeLauro, Kellan Zampelli, Liam Zampelli, and Noah Jackson, niece Hannah Wright of Seattle, WA, nephew Eli Wright of Tulsa, OK, and a veritable army of loving cousins.

In lieu of flowers, Linda’s family requests that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation , American Parkinson’s Disease Association , Maryland Food Bank , or Casey Cares Foundation .