By Ralphine Major

It was in early December the year I met him.  Jimmy Duncan called to see if I would come to downtown Knoxville and meet Zane Daniel.  The two lawyers had established Daniel & Duncan law firm and wanted to talk to me about working for them.  I went to meet Zane and ended up staying the entire day.

Soon after then, news surfaced about Zane’s birthday near the end of December.  I had only been there a few days but long enough to learn that Zane was a huge basketball fan.  He had played ball at Rutledge High School and was friends with the great A. W. Davis.  Davis also played for Rutledge before becoming a Tennessee Volunteer player and coach.  I thought it would be fun to have a birthday cake made for Zane, one that resembled a basketball court.  It was his 34th birthday.

We lost Zane way too soon.  In 2006, he passed away at the age of 66.  During this last year, I have thought of him so often.  Perhaps, because it was my 66th year as well.  Today, it is unbelievable that Zane would be 82.  How grateful I am that our paths crossed.  Zane was truly special, and he is still missed so very much.

Words of Faith:  The verse that always comes to mind when I think of Zane is the one that Jimmy quoted at his memorial service fifteen years ago.  Those words are engraved on a plaque in our home and are an ever-constant reminder of those resounding words from the tiny book of Micah in the Old Testament: “. . . and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8 (KJV).