Peggy Daniel Pryor Itzen

Born on December 31st of 1936, Peggy brought a Happy New Year to her parents Etta Lone and Edwin W. Pryor. Their only child, Peggy Daniel Pryor was pretty, bright and gifted. She was an excellent student, active member of her church and choir and popular. Her father, the editor of the Harlingen Morning Star, encouraged her studies, particularly her writing.

So accelerated was Peggy scholastically, she graduated young from high school and completed college at age 17. She found herself teaching high school students her own age. She met Donald Itzen, a young Air Force Cadet stationed at Harlingen Air Force Base and they married in 1960.

She spent 26 years as a devoted military wife, moving her family all over the country. Peggy, a fierce Texan, was the mother of two children, Dallas and Houston and she and Don eventually settled in Austin, TX where he retired after achieving the rank of Lt. Col.

Having left an early teaching career and other jobs to raise her children, Peggy went back to school in the 70's and earned a second degree, this one in library science. As her children grew older, she went back to work, following in her father’s journalistic background and started work for the Austin American Statesman, eventually retiring as the head of the newspaper library.

She encouraged her kids to study, work hard, be honest, good caring people, be creative, and follow their dreams. She has two amazing and talented granddaughters, Abigail and Samantha. Peggy loved to knit and made friends with knitters all over the country and was most often seen during retirement knitting for her family, for cancer patients and babies in need.

She was known for her wit, intelligence, creativity, patriotism and love for Texas, Country, Christmas and family. She was a loyal and caring friend to people and many dogs. In her later years, Peggy became an avid San Antonio Spurs fan and passionately cheered her champions on to their wins in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.

Peggy died suddenly but peacefully in her sleep during a procedure having been ill at Seton Northwest Hospital for a few weeks. She was 77. She is at home with her Lord. She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Donald A. Itzen, her devoted daughter Dallas Lone Itzen and loving son Houston Lee Itzen, friend and daughter-in-law Michelle Norris Itzen and her adoring granddaughters Abigail Lone, 10 and Samantha Dean who is nearly 6 and her loves, Annie and Zach, humane society adoptees.

She is being buried Friday, October 31st, at 10:45 am at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, not far from where her parents are at rest. A Memorial Service to honor her life is being held October 31st at 4 pm at Cook Walden Funeral Home at 6100 North Lamar Blvd. In her memory, please consider a donation to your local Humane Society where she found some of her most beloved companions (Lah-Ni, Somber, Sheba, Sadie, Comet, Skippy, Austin, Zach and Annie)