Morris Joe Connaway was born on November 14, 1941 in Brownwood, Texas. He passed away on August 17, 2018 in Temple, Texas at the age of 76 years, 9 months, 3 days. He was born to William Jay and Eva Bailey Connaway, and was the younger brother of William (Bill) Connaway.
Morris Joe (MJ) attended school in Brownwood, and graduated from Brownwood High School in 1960. Following graduation he attended North Texas State University (UNT) in Denton, TX. It was here that he met the love of his life in 1961, Caryl Jones from Baytown, TX. It was love at first sight, and five months later they married on February 24, 1962 in Denton, TX. Morris Joe and Caryl had three children, Laurie, Wesley and Ellen.
He became employed with Texas Power and Light in Brownwood in 1967. He served in several management roles during his career with TP&L, moving his family to communities of Stephenville, Cleburne, Tyler, Killeen, Copperas Cove, Hillsboro, Waco, and Temple, where he retired in 1997, under the company’s then name of TU Electric.
He was a Master Mason, member of the Masonic Lodge 1125 in Killeen, Texas. He served as President of the Brownwood Jaycees in 1966, and held board positions on several Chambers of Commerce through his career. Most recently Morris Joe was active in a local men’s Bible study at Temple Bible Church.
In earlier years, many weekends with his family were spent on the family ranch outside of Brownwood, TX. He also took up golf and it became a favorite hobby for many years. His other treasured pastime was hunting. Following his retirement, he took the trip of a lifetime in 1998 to Africa. During hunting season, he looked forward to weekends with friends and his son at a deer lease near Goldthwaite, TX. He also enjoyed many trips to Wyoming to hunt antelope and made one excursion to Kansas to hunt deer. His true love was his family, and there was nothing he looked forward to more than being with his wife, children and granddaughter. He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather.
Morris Joe was preceded in death by his parents William and Eva, and his older brother William Jay Connaway. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Caryl, and his children: Laurie, Belton, TX; Wesley Jay (Deb), Allen, TX; Ellen, Lago Vista, TX; his granddaughter Victoria, Belton, TX; two step-grandchildren, Jonathan and Jason, Plano, TX; nieces Beverleigh (David), Paris, TX, and Carolyn, Fisher, TX.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 25 at 11 a.m., at Jordan Springs Cemetery, Brownwood, TX. Friends and family may also pay their respects at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Temple, TX from Wednesday Aug 22 - Friday Aug 24, between 9 am - 5 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Shriners Hospitals for Children,
FAMILY
Laurie, Daughter Wesley Jay and wife Deb, Son Ellen, Daughter Victoria, Granddaughter Jonathan and Jason, Step-Grandsons Beverleigh and husband David, Niece Carolyn, Niece
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18