Zane Grey Mcwilliams

Zane Grey McWilliams, age 82, of Ballinger passed away Saturday morning, December 13, 2008.

Zane was born February 8, 1926 in Norton, Texas. He grew up on the family ranch, the youngest of five children of Shannon and Dora (Herring) McWilliams. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and married his hometown sweetheart, Arvena Kendrick, on September 6, 1945 in San Francisco, California. After returning from the war, he attended Howard Payne College in Brownwood.

He spent the next twenty-five years in the building materials business. He sold farm tractors and implements for several years and ran the family ranch for fifteen years. He was a member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattlemen’s Association. Zane and Arvena retired in 1990, but he continued to engage in ranch work as long as possible.

Throughout his life Zane wrote poetry that reflected his personality, his love of ranching, and his outlook on the world. Several collections of his poems covering a wide range of subjects and “cowboy logic” were published. He would tell his readers, “May the wind always be to your back and all your troubles be as simple as my poems.”

He was preceded in death by his parents and by his siblings.

He is survived by his wife, Arvena; his son, Brent McWilliams and wife, Ruth, of Marfa; his daughter, Karen Ciancarelli, of Midland; and by five grandchildren, a great source of pride and joy: Jason Mark Haley, O’Lita Rey, Zane Alan McWilliams, Ryan Brent McWilliams, and Leah Marie McWilliams. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at Garden of Memories in Ballinger with Max Pratt officiating.

Memorial donations may be made to the Ballinger Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 127, Ballinger, Texas 76821 or to a favorite charity.