Emilou Zollars

Emilou Oliphint Zollars (Emi) of South Houston, Texas passed away on 16 October 2025, at the age of 95. She was born in 1930 in Hemphill, Texas, in Sabine County, and lived there and in Port Arthur, Texas, before moving to South Houston, Texas in 1945.

Emi graduated from Pasadena High School in 1948 and subsequently attended the University of Texas at Austin. She worked as a flight attendant for Trans-Texas Airways for five years, flying in DC3 aircraft from Houston International Airport (now William P. Hobby Airport) to destinations all around the state. It was there she met and later married Lester Roland Zollars in 1956, who was a pilot for Trans-Texas Airways.

Emi and Les settled in South Houston and raised their three children there, closely surrounded by many family members who all gathered for birthdays, holidays, special occasions, and sometimes “just because”.

In later years, Emi worked as a sales associate for Battelstein’s and Beall’s, and later as a purchasing agent at NASA. Emi was a wonderful cook and enjoyed preparing southern-inspired dishes for family gatherings. Her other hobbies included gardening and crafting. She was a longtime member of Faith United Methodist Church in South Houston.

Emi is preceded in death by her husband Lester Roland Zollars; parents George Rodney Oliphint and Katie Vickers Oliphint; and her sister Jorga Bernice Wright, all of South Houston.

She is survived by her sister Kay Hobbs of Bailey, CO; children Byron Zollars and Cindy Meininger, of Georgetown, TX; Thomas Zollars and Laura Koppang, of Columbus, NM; and Alison Zollars and Cuauhtemoc Reyes, of Houston, TX; grandchildren Matthew and Elise Meininger, of Ashland, MO; Katy Vassar and Justin Vassar, of Kyle, TX; Amanda and Brian Campos, of Houston, TX; Karen Zollars, of Charlestown, MA; Samuel Meininger and Eileen Martin, of Denver, CO; and Citlali Bataz, of Houston, TX. She will miss her greatgrandchildren Lilyan Vassar, Jace Vassar, Leah Bataz, Kendall Campos, and Peyton Campos, along with many cousins, nephews, and nieces.

Emi’s ashes will be scattered in the pine forests of Sabine County, Texas, where she found beauty, solace, and peace in her living years.