Juanita Daniel Zachry

Juanita Daniel Zachry, 91, of Abilene, died Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at a local hospital. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 31, 2008 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00p.m. Friday, August 1, 2008 in the chapel at The Hamil Family Funeral Home officiated by Dr. Bill Goff. Burial will be in the Potosi Cemetery. Writing was a way of life for Juanita. She grew up with stories of history in the making. Her father, A.M. Daniel, came to Taylor County in 1900, as a young man. Her mother, Exa Green Daniel, came at age three, when Abilene was a tent town. In her years of writing, Juanita has had ten books of history published. They are, Juanita Daniel Zachry's Classics in 2003, Family History of the Daniel Girls in 2001, A Living History in 1999, Buffalo Gap Historic Village in 1992, Brands of the Southwest in 1988, Abilene - The Key City in 1986, Katy O'Neil, A History of Rural Taylor County in 1980 and 1985, This Man David in 1971, Life Stories of J.A. Patterson (ghost written) and Potosi – The First One Hundred years in 1971 and 1995. She has sold articles to American History Illustrated, Texas Highways, Arizona Highway, America's Civil War, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Early American Life, Many western Magazines, historical/nostalgia essays and articles to general interest magazines. Juanita grew up at Horn in Jones County and graduated from Noodle High School. She has had courses from Writers Digest, Famous Writers School and the University of Oklahoma. She was a member of the Abilene Writers Guild, which she founded, and a member of Calvary Baptist Church. In 2003, Juanita received the Maxine Perini Award and was also recognized by the 78th legislature, Bob Hunter, Commending Juanita Daniel Zachry of Abilene for her achievements as an author. That same year she was also recognized by Charles Stenholm in our Nation's Capitol and received a flag that was flown over the capitol. Her husband B.A. Zachry whom she married in Abilene on December 10, 1934 preceded her in death. Juanita is survived by one son, Charles Zachry and wife Katanna, of Midland; two daughters, Barbara Williams and husband Coy, of Abilene, Beth Beasley and husband Jim, of Garland; sister, Mattie Vinson, of Potosi; seven grandchildren, Gene Williams and wife Janice, Danny Williams and wife Sherri, David Pate and wife Sandy, Kristi Calderon and husband Mark, Tiffany Zachry, Charles Zachry Jr. and wife Marisa, and Andrew Zachry, and seven great-grandchildren. Her favorite quote that she made up was "Find a way or make one"