Toni Dianne Salama

Toni Salama was born to Roy Lee and Odessa Garrett in Fort Worth, Texas. She graduated from Coronado High School. In 1992, Toni graduated cum laude from UT-Arlington with a degree in journalism.

Toni (Stroud) Salama was a travel writer, editor, and photographer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  She was the editor for Lone Star Latitudes, the in-flight magazine for Lone Star Airlines as well as the editor for Abode Magazine (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). During this time, she had the opportunity to interview two of her favorite entertainers, the Grammy nominated singer Andy Williams (“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year “) and Hawaiian singer Don Ho (“Tiny Bubbles”).  Toni moved to Chicago and worked for 10 years as a staff travel writer for the Chicago Tribune’s Sunday Travel Section. In 2011, she co-authored the Fodor’s Egypt 4thedition travel guidebook.  In 2012 Toni returned to Lubbock to take care of family and during that same year she became the Senior Editor for the College of Arts & Sciences at Texas Tech. She retired from Texas Tech in 2022.

Toni was an award-winning travel journalist.  She earned four Lowell Thomas Awards (the Pulitzer of travel journalism) from the Society of American Travel Writers.  In 2008, her video work garnered an international Telly Award (the Oscars of the Web) for Best Online Travel Video.  Her speaking engagements included audiences as diverse as the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Travel Writers and the Hawaii Visitor & Convention Bureau.  She also exhibited her photos in the Lubbock “High and Dry” Annual Juried Photography in 2012 and 2013.

Among her greatest passions was studying the word of God, traveling to Hawaii, Greece, Egypt, Jerusalem and many other countries. She studied in Egypt, learning the language and working with Coptic Christians in Egypt.  This passion led her to create Travel Therefore a faith-based travel blog in 2011.

Her greatest strength in her life was her faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.  She supported many Christian ministries.  She also enjoyed fellowship and friendships with the ladies in her Sunday school class at Southcrest Baptist Church.

Toni was preceded in death by her parents and her only brother Gerald “Jerry “Garrett.  She leaves behind her sister, Carolyn Tamplen of Wickett, Texas and her niece Laurie Hasty and Rick Hasty of Roanoke, Texas.

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