Joe Luis Zacarias Jr.

For those of you that knew Joe know that he was known as Papa, Papa Joe, Uncle Joe and Dr. Zac. He was our beloved father, brother, and always a gentleman. The most important things in life to Papa were: The Lord, family, helping others, education, integrity and honesty.

Joe was born on November 13, 1932, in Tela, Honduras, to Jose Luis Zacarias, Sr. and Mercedes Toro Sabillon. They were banana farmers and Jose Luis Sr. worked for the United Fruit Company for 45 years.

Joe attended high school at Hinds Junior College in Raymond, Mississippi, and was granted the “Good Neighbor Scholarship” to the University of Texas (UT). Joe had a very interesting and adventurous medical education and career. He came to Austin in 1951 where he earned a BA in Zoology and a pharmacy degree in 1959. While he was at UT he was an accomplished gymnist on the UT gymnastic team. In 1951, he went to a dance at the YWCA where he met, as he described in his own words, “a young, beautiful, slim, vivacious, intelligent” student nurse, Esther Diaz, his wife of 57 years.

He practiced pharmaceutical sales for 6 years. In 1964 he became a US citizen and was finally able to take his pharmacy state board exam. In 1965-1970 he was owner of Hospital Pharmacy, which is still operating today on MLK under O.C. Houston. During this 5-year period he was the only pharmacy offering 24-hour service and was available to emergency rooms in Austin to fill prescriptions in the middle of the night. He utilized his delivery truck to transport those in need to medical appointments. He was awarded the Caritas award for his support to the community.

Joe attended medical school in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the 70’s and practiced medicine in Austin as a psychiatrist until his retirement from the Austin State Hospital in 1992.

Joe passed away at his home surrounded by his immediate family after a brief hospitalization and long-term illness on September 26. He stayed active most of the time.

Joe loved to travel and had the pleasure of taking his entire family, including spouses and children and other family members, on multiple family-reunion cruises to many exotic places.

Joe is survived by:

His wife, Esther D. Zacarias. His children: Carmen Zacarias and husband, James Howell, of Taos, NM.; Steve and wife, Lisa of Austin; Mercedes and husband, Paul Reissner of Jacksonville, Florida; Richard of Austin; and Racquel and husband, John McCoy, of Austin.

Siblings: Mercedes Zacarias Mayora and husband Alfredo from Caracas, Venezuela; Carlos Zacarias and wife, Ana Julia Robledo Panchame, from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Roberto Zacarias and wife Silvia from Honduras who live in Tampa, Florida.

His grandchildren: Andrea Willie and husband Matt; Aaron Reissner; Alex Reissner (Zana); and Alyssa and Jasmine McCoy.

His sister-in-law, Christine Brown. Many, many nieces and nephews in Norway, Spain, Venezuela, Honduras and other faraway places. And many many great friends.

Visitation Services will be on Thursday, September 29, 2011, 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home, 9700 Anderson Mill Rd., Austin. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday at 10:30am at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 10205 FM 620 North, Austin, with Rev. Fr. Larry Stehling officiating. Internment will follow at Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery, Pflugerville. The family would like to invite his friends to a celebration of his life following the internment at the St. Thomas More Church Center.

Joe had many favorite charities such as Mobile Loaves and Fish and St. Louise House or you may contribute to the charity of your choice in lieu of flowers.

The family is grateful to all his kind doctors and nurses and to all of you that have contributed your time, called, sent cards, food and kind recuerdos (remembrances).