Philip Ado Zando, 84, of Auburn, Maine and formerly of Deferiet, New York, passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 30, 2025, at St. Mary's D'Youville Pavilion in Lewiston, Maine, where he had been a resident for four weeks. Philip had recently been diagnosed with leukemia.

Philip was born on May 26, 1940 in Watertown, New York. He was the oldest of three sons of Ado Anthony and Phyllis Milvo Zando of Jacksonville, Florida and formerly of Deferiet. He grew up in Deferiet and was a superb athlete playing football, baseball, and basketball at Carthage High School in Carthage, NY, where he graduated in 1957.

He attended Clarkson College and Villanova University before being employed by the Rouse Construction Co., Gouverneur, New York, where he started his professional career in the construction field.  While he was working in Maine for the Rouse Construction Co.in March 1964, he met Olivette Tessier in Bucksport, Maine.  They were married on August 6, 1966 at St. Rose of Lima Church, Jay, Olivette's hometown. They have four children.

After settling in the Lewiston-Auburn area in 1976, Philip became a longtime Project Manager for SW&B Construction Corporation, based in Auburn, Maine. His job took him all over the United States managing projects. He loved math and used his strong math skills in his daily work.

Once retired, he enjoyed time with his wife, Ollie, their children, and grandchildren. Like the rest of the Zando Family, Phil loved sports especially the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. He enjoyed Ollie's homecooked meals, watching sports, the news, and reading newspapers. He watched the weather reports to share weather information with his family to ensure their safety. Philip cooked delicious chili and spaghetti dinners from recipes handed down from his father, Ado, who emigrated from Italy.

Philip had a great sense of humor and was very dedicated to his wife, family, friends, his work, his community, and his Catholic faith. Phil volunteered for the East Auburn Men's Club, a local organization, which supported the community, hosted the Little World's Fair, participated in the annual Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival, and provided a scholarship annually to a student at Edward Little High School in Auburn. Phil helped Ollie cook annual spaghetti dinners for the children's choir members, which she directed, at St. Patrick's Church in Lewiston.

The most important influence in Phil's life was his Catholic faith. He prayed daily for his family and for anyone he knew, who needed special prayers. Phil loved the traditional Latin mass. When he was traveling for work or away on vacation, he tried to find one in the area to attend. Both he and his wife, Ollie, had a special place in their hearts for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, where young men were trained in the traditions of the Latin mass.

Phil is survived by his wife, Olivette Tessier Zando of Auburn, ME, his three daughters: Nicole (Shawn) Anderson of Topsham, ME, Marla Zando (Ken Fengler) of Scarborough, ME, Larissa (Sam) Sansome of Chicago, IL, and his son: Matthew Philip Zando of Auburn, ME, grandsons, Ben Anderson, Luke Anderson, Eli Fengler, and Zackary Fengler, his brothers, Peter (Elaine) Zando of Yorktown, VA, and Paul J. Zando of Jacksonville, FL, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  He is predeceased by his parents, Ado and Phyllis Zando, grandparents, Marco and Justina Zando and Louis and Martha Milvo.

Funeral services with a Latin mass will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 11:00 am at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston, Maine.   A reception will follow immediately at Marco's Ristorante Italiano, Lewiston. Burial will take place later at Holy Cross Cemetery in Livermore Falls, Maine.

Philip's family would like to thank the staff of Central Maine Medical Center, St. Mary's D'Youville Pavilion, and Beacon Hospice Care for their kind and compassionate medical care during the last few months of his life. The Zando Family would also like to thank all the wonderful family members, friends, and neighbors for their thoughts, prayers, condolences, gifts, and visits from near and far.

Donations may be made, in memory of Philip A. Zando, to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary at OLGS, PO Box 147, Denton, NE, 68339 or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, PO Box 22324, New York, NY 10087, or a charity of one's choice.