Fanny Love (Ward) Zambuto

Fanny Love (Ward) Zambuto died on June 27, 2020 at the age of 85.  She was known for her contagious laugh, great sense of humor and overall love of life and children. She was the daughter of the late James M. Ward, MD and his wife Frances Conroy of Quincy, sister of Judith Lynch and was preceded in death by her brother James M. Ward Jr., and her sister Donna Maria Ward.  Fanny is survived by her loving husband Domenic of Norwell and her nine children Jeanne, Fanny O’Brien, Donna, Marie, Domenic Jr., Martha Cyr, James, John and Christopher.  She is also survived by her nineteen grandchildren, all of whom she loved with all her heart. She enjoyed visiting Maine and its wild lupine flowers along with reading daily newspapers with a cup of tea and will be remembered as a faithfully optimistic Red Sox fan. 

As a 1956 Emanuel College graduate, she worked as a Newton Department of Public Welfare social worker and married the love of her life on August 4, 1956, and later moved to Norwell in 1959. She taught in Norwell Public Schools in Kindergarten and as a substitute teacher.  With her social worker roots, she made advocacy for the mentally ill her mission as the Co-founder and President of the Coastal Alliance for the Mentally Ill (now part of NAMI).  She served as a member of Massachusetts NAMI, Board of Trustees of Westboro State Hospital, contributing member of the Functional Definition for the Adult Care Unit for the new Massachusetts State Hospital in Worcester. She also participated in Citizens Monitoring at Quincy Mental Health Center, Medfield State Hospital, and Westboro State Hospital. She founded the CAUSE Program (Consumers and Alliances United for Supported Education) helping over 1,700 people attain further education and career opportunities when their education and work lives were interrupted by mental illness. In 1994, and in 2006, she received the Lilo McMillan award for reflecting values and qualities of an activist and long-time advocate for mental health services. In 2019, she and her husband were recognized by the State of Massachusetts for 38-years of service for improving the lives of the individuals and families impacted by mental illness through their work with NAMI and CAUSE.

Known for her gentle kindness, her love for God, her endless patience towards all, her concern for those less fortunate, and her unrelenting pursuit of fair treatment of those who had no way to advocate for themselves, she left behind a legacy of service to the most vulnerable of people that will impact many generations of families throughout Massachusetts for years to come. Her heart was always filled with love for her family and the many lives she touched. She will be greatly missed by all.

Funeral services will be private.

As a devout Catholic and Eucharistic Minister, donations in Fanny Love Zambuto’s memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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