Charlene Walton

Charlene Holt was born in a log cabin, built by her father, in rural LeFlore County, Oklahoma on

January 28, 1934, to Charles and Sanora Holt. Aside from work and school, Charlene’s main

interest was music and she was a proficient singer, pianist, and accordianist. In 1951, Charlene

graduated from Cameron High School, Cameron, Oklahoma and moved to Dallas, Texas. She

attended Dallas Bible Institute and ultimately graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas.

She married Edward (Ed) Allen Walton on February 13, 1954. Together they served at the First

Free Will Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, where Charlene was the pianist for many years. In

1968, they were part of a handful of families who founded the First Free Will Baptist Church of

Garland, Texas. Prior to the church relocating to Garland, the fledgling congregation met in Ed

and Charlene’s home in Richardson, Texas. In 1994, she retired as an investigator with the U.S.

Department of Education after a long and distinguished career. Charlene was preceded in

death by her parents, Charles and Sanora Holt; brothers James, Jack, and Bob; sisters

Bernice, Jean, Pat, and Judy. She is survived by her sister Helen; sons Eddie (Maria) and

Andrew (Vicki); grandchildren Allen (Karen), Brendan (Erica), Caitlin (Johnathan), Regan (Jared),

Riley, Ryan and five great-grandchildren