Before entering law school, the veterans of Brooks Village asked Zamparelli to represent them before the Medford School Committee seeking public kindergartens. Not content with the School Committee's action, Zamparelli announced for a seat on the Committee against the chairman and won. During his tenure, numerous positive advancements were made, including the establishment of public school kindergartens.

After graduating from Tufts College John Zamparelli went on to earn his Juris Doctor Degree from Boston College Law School where he finished in the top ten in his class. Zamparelli had a long and distinguished career as a lawyer, retiring his practice, located in Medford Square, after fifty years. He was also elected to multiple public offices, the Medford School Committee, State Representative, Middlesex County Register of Deeds, as well as the first Parochial School Committee, the Saint Francis of Assisi School Board. Interested in both law and government, he was, and still is, involved with a number of political, community, and educational organizations and campaigns.

Zamparelli's outgoing and welcoming personality make him a natural on the podium. Whether Keynote Speaker, Master of Ceremonies, or honored guest at dinners and events, Zamparelli is known for his charismatic speechmaking. In 1986 The Sunday Sun in Lowell, Massachusetts reported that at the 1984 Democrat's annual dinner "Zamparelli got by far the biggest applause of the evening, though other speakers included Ted Kennedy, Mike Dukakis, Tip O'Neil and eight candidates for president." Chester Atkins commented, "The national press corps was completely baffled. They wanted to know, 'Who is this John Zamparelli?' "

Throughout his career Zamparelli's education and Alma Maters have had a fond place in his heart. Upon receiving the Tufts Jumbo Club Award in 1977 from the University, Dr. Edward O'Connell wrote the following words to illustrate how Zamparelli's experience at Tufts shaped his life in a positive way.

Zamparelli's other Tufts Honors have been the Distinguished Service Award, first recipient of the Tufts Homecoming Award, charter member of the Tufts Board of Overseers, Tufts Alumni Council Chairman, Tufts Alumni Association Vice President and Associate University Counsel.

In gratitude for the education and experience both he and his wife had as Tufts students, Zamparelli donated the John F. Zamparelli and Betty Doane Student Conference Room in Mayer Campus Center.

 

Middlesex County Register of Deeds for twenty years, Zamparelli served as President of the State Association, initiated Registry computerization, authored a manual for Land Court Use and procedure and published articles on Documentation Uniformity and Property Rights.