Vincent Zarlengo

Vincent Zarlengo, born December 4, 1944, to Lucile Zarlengo and Anthony F. Zarlengo in Denver Colorado, passed away unexpectedly during emergency heart surgery on September 4, 2020.

Vince graduated from Holy Cross Abbey High School in Canon City, CO.   He graduated from Regis University, Denver, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and then graduated from the University of Denver College of Law.

Vince then married the love of his life and best friend, Peg Zarlengo.

He began practicing law in the Denver District Attorney’s Office.  After a few years he decided to switch to Accounting and earned his CPA license and practiced as a tax accountant.   Vince then combined his two areas of expertise, law and accounting, and spent the majority of his working years specializing in forensic accounting.

Vince and Peg had a wonderful fifty-one years of marriage.  They loved to travel and took fun trips all over the world.  Because they could not always agree on a destination, they took turns; Peg’s typical trip would be to a “safe” country with lots of great museums and good food.  Vince’s choices were more adventurous, colorful and exotic.  After about fifteen years they actually learned that they wanted to go to some of the SAME places so they began a YOURS, MINE and OURS rotation. They loved hiking, skiing, tennis, golf and scuba diving.

Vince was an actor at heart, he performed in amateur neighborhood shows and loved to tell jokes and tall tales.  Peg was often his unwitting (but not unwilling) “straight man”.  Vince was passionate about singing.  He sang in the Rio Verde St. Dominic Choir and the Fountain Hills, AZ Community Chorus for many years.  Vince and Peg took lots of dance lessons.  A memorable evening was his Tango performance in a community “Dancing With The Stars” Contest in Rio Verde, Arizona.

Vince and Peg always had at least one beagle or basset hound.  He couldn’t imagine life without a dog.  He left behind his “favorite” beagle/basset mix, ZeZe.  Hopefully all the dogs that have gone before were there to kiss him and greet him as he arrived in Heaven.   As he often said, “If I don’t see dogs, I’ll know I am in the wrong place.”

Vince was also an enthusiastic supporter of many charitable organizations.  He served as President of the Denver Dumb Friends League, and as a Director of the Harry Rabb Foundation, the Zarlengo Foundation, the Rio Verde Community Foundation and the Denver 100 Club.

He also assumed civic volunteer responsibilities.  Vince was Budget Commissioner for the Town of Bow Mar, and   President of the Rio Verde Community (Homeowners) Association.

Vince was truly a Renaissance Man, always learning new things.  He loved photography and attended the Santa Fe School of Photography.  As a community volunteer, he taught Photoshop seminars and taught classes in Internet Scamming Techniques and served as a computer resource person.  In recent years Vince took up sewing, and not surprisingly, was the only male in his sewing class.  He loved making items for silent auctions and for family and friends. Vince also loved to cook and took classes in Chinese cooking and Pizza Making but mostly he created his favorite family Italian dishes.

Vince wrote a blog, “The Great Zardini” which was full of humor and obscure information.  He often recited poetry and many will remember his renditions of Edgar Allan Poe’s, “Tell Tale Heart” and Robert Service’s, “The Cremation of Sam McGee”.

Vince is survived by his wife, Margaret “Peg” Zarlengo and his sister Felicita “Filly” Robbie and husband, Bill, plus many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Richard Zarlengo and sister, Betty Horan.

Vince had many friends that enjoyed his energy, joy for life, zaniness, crazy sense of humor and upbeat personality.   In the words of a close friend, “The world will be less fun and less colorful without him.”  Some people are not the same at home as when they have on their “party personality” but Vince was always fun.  There was no one on earth quite like him.

“My only regret is that he left the party too soon. He was the love and light of my life.”

Peg

Due to Covid concerns, a small private Memorial Mass was held in the St. John Francis Regis Chapel. Once it is safe to gather, we will have a Celebration of Life to honor and remember Vince.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of Vince’s favorite charities.

The Denver Dumb Friends League, https://www.ddfl.org/

2080 S. Quebec St.
Denver, CO 80231

The Zarlengo Foundation  http://www.zarlengofoundation.org/

PO Box 1911
Wheat Ridge CO 80033

Rio Verde Community Foundation   https://rioverdecommunityfoundation.org/

18816 E.  Four Peaks Boulevard

Rio Verde, Arizona 85263

Regis University, Office of University Advancement     https://www.regis.edu/give-to-regis/index

3333 Regis Blvd.

Denver, CO 80221