Gallup bar owner passes away
Staff Reports
It is with a heavy heart that the Gallup Sun reports that Joe Zecca, the owner of the American Bar, died June 28. He was 96 years old. He was born May 31, 1930.
Zecca was a Korean War veteran. He was on the original committee that created the Veteran Pillars at the Courthouse Square.
Dave Cuellar, head of Gallup’s Veterans Helping Veterans, spoke highly of his fellow veteran, calling Zecca “very patriotic,” often showing that patriotism off by driving his truck, which had an American flag painted on it, around town. Cuellar said Zecca was proud of being an American veteran.
As the owner of American Bar, he opened his business up to many different people, including the pool playing community.
One of his close friends, Frank Kozeliski, remembered Zecca fondly. The two men and some other friends drank coffee and ate breakfast together everyday at El Sombrero.
Kozeliski said Zecca was always the one he turned to when he wanted to know about Gallup’s history.
A funeral service will be held Aug. 7 at St. John Vianney Church, with the rosary starting at 10 am and a mass service following directly after that. Zecca will be buried at the Sunset Memorial Park following mass, and a reception will be held at the Gallup Elks Lodge following the burial.
A previous article with factual inaccuracies was published in the July 3 issue of the Sun. This is a corrected version.
