Virgil Panzarella of City Island, New York passed away on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. Born in St. Albans, New York on October 27, 1930, to parents Giovanni Battista Panzarella and Orazia Mauriello Manfra Panzarella.

Virgil spent most of his youth growing up in Jamaica, Queens where he left to serve in the Army in the Korean War, as a communications specialist where he earned 6 honorary medals for his service. After the military, he went to Chiropractic school and moved to Miami, Florida where he started a chiropractic practice. Later, his career path changed and he turned his love for ballroom dancing into a career and became a dance instructor with Arthur Murray dance studios. While teaching ballroom in the late 1960’s, he met another ballroom dance teacher, Sandra, who would become his wife of 50 years. In his retirement, he enjoyed reading, PBS history TV specials, listening to Frank Sinatra, and watching his beloved Mets.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra, his daughter, Victoria Hetey of Las Vegas, her husband, Michael, and their two sons Alexander and Christopher Hetey.

A memorial to celebrate Virgil’s life will be held on Saturday, December 8, 2018, from 12 pm to 4 pm at the Leonard Hawkins Post 156, 550 City Island Avenue, City Island, Bronx NY 10464.