Obituary of Angela Joan Zarcaro

Angela Joan Zarcaro, 87, was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey and died on December 18, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas. 

She left New Jersey for Texas in 1963 to work in the Catholic Lay Mission Corps and then attended the University of Texas, earning a Bachelor's in Psychology in 1971. She worked in Ben Barnes's Office of Lt. Governor. While Harold Wilson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was visiting Austin, Angie took his dictation of a speech he would make at the Capitol. He thanked her by writing a note on a picture of the session. Angie left government and set up A to Z Secretarial Service in Austin. She produced many, many PhD dissertations and Masters theses.

Angie left Texas to go West and worked in Reno and San Francisco before returning to Houston in 1979. She worked for Chevron and Fullbright & Jaworski earning pensions from both. When she was 65 Angie retired to Oak Island in North Carolina. She was active in retirement, volunteering at the Senior Center and serving on the local Board of Habitat for Humanity. Angie had an adventuresome spirit and a quest for learning, from Civil War history to the performing arts. She sang with a choral group and was an accomplished pianist.

She made many friends  in North Carolina and only left because her illness made a move to Fort Worth necessary. 

Her nieces and nephews loved and treasured the stories she would tell about her life and adventures, and about what her family was like growing up. Her spirit and sense of adventure were truly inspiring. She loved to travel, see new places and experience new cultures. She rode on Vespas in Positano, horses in Argentina, Longhorn Steers in Fort Worth and river cruises through Europe.  At 75 she went skydiving and at at 85 Ange swam with the dolphins and went white water rafting in Costa Rica (she sat in the front of the boat, natch).

She was predeceased by her sister, Rose and brother, John. She is survived by her sisters, Toni Smith and Millie Santaniello, her brother Joe and many nieces, nephews and cousins. At her request there will be no funeral services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity.