Charles D. Connally was born March 2, 1935, in Ft. Worth, Texas, on Littlejohn Street at home in the Polytechnic neighbor-hood. He spent most of his early years in Mt. Enterprise, Texas, where his Westfall grandparents lived. He returned to Ft. Worth in the third grade and attended D. McRae Elementary. He graduated from Poly High School in 1953. Charles attended Texas Wesleyan College and graduated in 1957 with a major in Social Studies and a minor in Speech/Drama. He taught for Ft. Worth ISD for thirty years. He taught 10 years at his alma mater, Poly High School, and 20 years at O. D. Wyatt High School. Charles was elected president of the Ft. Worth Classroom Teachers Association in Ft. Worth, Texas, in 1976. He was also active in TSTA, TCTA, and NEA. He worked with Jim Wright, Speaker of the House of Representatives, under President Jimmy Carter, to obtain a separate Department of Education. He earned his Masters Degree from North Texas State University, with a Major in Education.
Charles met Barbara Tomlinson at TWC in 1953. They were married in 1954 and blessed with one daughter, Karen Louise Connally Combs. Charles and Barbara were married 64 years. They loved to travel and spent many years camping in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico. One of the highlights of his life was a trip through Europe to Tanzania, East Africa, to do mission work with his brother, Andrew M. Connally, in Arusha, Tanzania.
Charles was a faithful member of the Church of Christ his entire adult life. Charles and Barbara attended the Poly Church of Christ until 1968, when they moved to the Handley/Meadowbrook neighborhood. They placed membership at the Handley Church of Christ in 1968 where they attended almost 40 years. Later, they placed membership at Bridgewood Church of Christ in 2010.
During his life time, Charles preached gospel meetings in Buffalo, Wyoming, and Willingboro, New Jersey. He taught Bible classes and had many other opportunities to preach in Colorado, New Mexico, Tennessee, and the Ft. Worth area. Charles loved the Lord, the church, and his family with all his heart.
Charles is survived by his wife, Barbara, his daughter, Karen Connally Combs and husband, Gerald Combs, two grand-daughters Emily Blaylock and husband Nick Blaylock, and Natalie Morin and husband Mike Morin, and four great grandchildren, two sisters-in-law Jan Branch and husband Larry Branch and Pam Meyer and husband Bud Meyer. Charles is also survived by one cousin, Jerre Paul Westfall, and nieces and nephews: Jennifer Permezel and husband, Rob, Amy Polley and husband, Clint, Chris Meyer and wife, Diana, Julia Thomas and husband, Steve, Bobby Hoover and wife, Diane, Joel Hoover and wife, Sherrie, Carol Gonzalez and husband, Sam, and Holly Connally, and numerous great nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
