Zebbie (Zeb) Dunbar Chaney, 102, passed away on August 23, 2017, in El Dorado.  Known as Zeb to friends and Dunbar to family, he was born July 15, 1915, in Zachary, Louisiana, to Zebulon C. Chaney and Mary Lula Whitehead Chaney.  

During high school he played American Legion baseball as a pitcher and held the strike out record for thirty five years. After graduating from Zachary High School in 1933, he entered Southeastern University in Hammond, Louisiana on an athletic scholarship where he played and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. Upon graduating from college, he joined the Navy as a Chief Specialist. Toward the end of WWII, he was sent to the University of California at Berkley as a physical training instructor. After Navy, he was asked to remain at UC Berkeley as an assistant football and basketball coach.  During his career as assistant coach, the California Bears made three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances in 1949, 1950, and 1951. In basketball, the Bears were in the NCAA 1946 Final Four.   He also scouted for UC and for the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers during that time.  Upon leaving coaching, he went to work for Prescolite Mfg. Co. of San Leandro, California, and moved to El Dorado in 1958 to establish the new plant in the southern United States.  He retired from Prescolite in 1980. After retirement, he spent many years fishing at his camp on Lake D’Arbonne and could often be seen working in his yard.  Zeb lived a full life with many experiences across many decades of historical significance.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife, Ann Easley Chaney, and siblings, Doris Chaney Colomb, Walker Chaney, Marjorie Chaney and John Chaney.  He is survived by his son, Bill Chaney (June) of Zachary, Louisiana; daughter, Patricia Yarbrough (Ron) of El Dorado; grandchildren, Eric Bearden of Salzburg, Austria; Laura Yarbrough of Shanghai, China; Jennifer Yarbrough of Phoenix, Arizona; Lance Siebert (Bridgette) and Ramona Jacobs (Robby) of Zachary, Louisiana, five great grandchildren: Kolton Jacobs, Cameron Siebert, Brett Seibert, Blake Siebert, and Darian Caulkins; along with nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Bill Chaney, Eric Bearden, Lance Siebert, Robby Jacobs, Kolton Jacobs, and Cameron Siebert.

Visitation will be held Monday, August 28, 2017, from 5pm to 7pm at Young’s Funeral Home in El Dorado, AR and at Charlet Funeral Home in Zachary, Louisiana, on August 30, from 5pm until 8pm.  Funeral services will be on Thursday, August 31 at Charlet Funeral Home with a visitation from 9am until funeral services at 11am. Burial to follow at Redwood Cemetery in Slaughter, Louisiana.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church El Dorado, Arkansas, or Zachary United Methodist Zachary, Louisiana.

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