November 6, 1944 - April 18, 2019
Janice Anne Hall Zapata, 74, went to heaven Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Austin, Texas.
She was born in Iowa City, Iowa on November 6, 1944. She grew up in College Station, Texas and had a childhood passion for writing, poetry in particular. She graduated from A&M Consolidated High School in 1962. She and her family were active members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She attended classes at Texas A&M University in College Station during the summer of 1962 majoring in English. This is historic because it was not until 1969 that women were permitted unrestricted enrollment at Texas A&M.
Jan transferred to the University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1962 and was a member of St. Austin Catholic Parish. She lived in Newman Hall, the dormitory for Catholic women attending UT.
Jan transferred back to Texas A&M during the summer of 1964 where she pursued her studies in both English and Spanish. Building upon her love of words and expression, Jan traveled to Mexico City in order to improve her Spanish. Upon her return, she met Manuel Zapata at the foreign language lab at Texas A&M where he worked as a teaching assistant.
Bridging their cultures during a time of great social change, Jan and Manuel were married on February 11, 1967 at St. Joseph’s Chapel in Bryan, Texas. Shortly after their wedding, they moved to Bedford, Massachusetts where Manuel served in the U.S. Air Force.
Jan and Manuel raised their two daughters, Lucy and Debbie in Austin, Texas. They were members of St. Louis Catholic Church. Jan was an active member of the Legion of Mary. She was a dedicated parishioner visiting families, the sick, and the elderly. Jan’s care and accomplishments were many. She was a loving wife and mother. She volunteered regularly at St. Louis Catholic School from 1974-1983 where she was a homeroom mother, a parent chaperon for field trips, and an encouraging fan for the St. Louis Cougar athletes.
Jan had a creative spirit and enjoyed art and music. She had a natural talent as a writer and an artist. She enjoyed drawing, embroidery, ceramics, and other arts and crafts. Jan completed a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at The University of Texas at Austin and graduated on December 21, 1991.
In 2002, Jan and Manuel moved to College Station to support her aging parents. They were members of both St. Joseph and St. Mary’s Catholic churches. In the summer of 2012, Jan and Manuel moved back to Austin to be close to family and became members of Emmaus Catholic Parish in Lakeway.
One of Jan’s greatest joys was spending time with Manuel. They loved to walk, have coffee, travel, talk, and enjoy their family. Above all, they were devoted to God and spent much of their time studying the Bible, praying for others, and reciting the Rosary. Their life together was filled with simple and pure moments of connection and happiness. They were each other’s best friends.
Jan was always faithful to God. She never questioned God’s will and she lived as an example of love, support, and understanding.
Jan is survived by her beloved daughters Lucy Hansen Youngblood of Drippings Springs and Debbie Zapata Gerstein of Austin; her grandchildren, Jill Hansen, Carl Hansen, Carter Youngblood, Wade Youngblood, Adam Gerstein and Sarah Gerstein; and her sons-in-law, John Youngblood and Ira Gerstein.
She was predeceased by her dear husband Manuel Zapata, her mother-in-law Aurora Zapata, her brother Randall Hall, and her parents, Wayne and Dorothy Hall.
Jan and Manuel were joined together in eternal love, and are now reunited in God’s presence. She will live on in our hearts and memories.
On Friday, April 26, a Rosary will be held 10:00-10:30 a.m. at Emmaus Catholic Parish in Lakeway (1718 Lohmans Crossing, Austin, Texas 78734), followed by funeral mass at 11 a.m. A reception will follow in the Great Hall at the church. Burial will be held at 2 p.m. at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery (2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, Texas, 78731).
