Staff writer
niedbala@observer-reporter.com
CRUCIBLE - An elderly Crucible woman whose body was found in her home Tuesday night by a neighbor died after she fell and struck her head on the edge of a coffee table.
Olga Zappone, 78, of 320 Fifth Ave., was pronounced dead at the scene by Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis.
An autopsy conducted Wednesday indicated Zappone bled to death after she fell and hit her head on a coffee table in the living room, Lewis said. Zappone was taking a blood thinner for a medical condition, she said.
The cause of death was determined to be accidental, Lewis said.
Cumberland Township police, who had been called to the house at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, at first listed Zappone's death as suspicious.
"There were just some things at the scene that raised questions," Detective George Lewis said Wednesday morning before the autopsy results were known.
Zappone had lived in the house alone since 2004 when her husband, Russell, died. Neighbors of Zappone in the close-knit community said Zappone was a good person.
"She was very friendly," said neighbor Pat Patterson, who found Zappone lying on the floor Tuesday night when he went to check on her.
Patterson said he had called Zappone a few times Tuesday to see if she wanted one of the hamburgers he was cooking on the grill, but he received no answer.
He later went and knocked on Zappone's door and when he received no response, he got the key for the house she had given him for emergencies and went inside.
Patterson said he found Zappone lying on the floor in the living room but noticed little more because of the shock of finding her there. He called 911.
Patterson said he tried to keep in touch regularly with Zappone, who lived alone, and occasionally invited her to his house for dinner. Other neighbors also kept tabs on her.
Stephine Lavigne, who lives next door, said she visited Zappone almost every day to take her mail to her and help her with chores.
Lavigne said she last saw Zappone about 5 p.m. Monday when she took her mail to her and cleaned her dishes.
"She was a very nice lady," said Nancy Harbarger, Lavigne's mother. "She would sit out on the porch and talk to everybody."
Zappone used a walker and occasionally oxygen but still drove a car. She had no children. She did have several brothers and a sister who don't live in the area but visited her frequently and took her out with them, Harbarger said.
Neighbors said their street is very quiet and were shocked when they heard Zappone might have been shot, one of the rumors that had circulated.
"There are never any problems on this street," Harbarger said. "It shocked me when someone said something had happened in that house."