Charles D Conner

Rev. Charles D Howell Conner March 11, 1920 January 13, 2009 Reverend Charles D Howell Conner of Waco passed away January 13, 2009, at Providence Hospital. Graveside services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 16, at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Elgin, Texas. Visitation will be 6:00 8:00 p.m., Thursday, January 15, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Brother Conner was born March 11, 1920, in Elgin, Texas to Robert Henderson Conner and Agnes Walker Conner. He was called to preach early in life and was ordained December 9, 1938, at the First Baptist Church in San Marcos. As a campus boy at Mary Hardin Baylor, he worked in the school dairy and as a carpenter to pay for classes. It was there he met the love of his life, Irene Burton, and they were married November 22, 1942. As a student at Baylor, Charles worked full time in tire repair and sales while he pastored churches in the surrounding areas. Graduating from Baylor in 1952, he went on to Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth where he graduated in 1954. Upon graduation, he and Irene moved to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he was called as the Associational Missionary for Red River Baptist Association. Over the next thirty-one years he became a fixture in the surrounding communities working to establish summer Bible schools and preaching at various churches in the five-county association. He and Irene worked with local 4-H, and he was elected president of the Clark County Fair Association. He was an active member of the Lions Club in Arkadelphia. Brother Conner was raised as a Master Mason at John Armstrong Lodge in Valley Mills in 1948 and served as Lodge Chaplain several years and was also a member of the Scottish Rite. In 1985 Brother Conner and Irene retired and returned to the Central Texas area. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Irene Burton Conner of Waco; sisters, Odell Smith of Fayetteville, NC, and Mary Henk and husband, Wilford, of San Marcos; sons, James Charles Conner and wife, Dede, of Georgetown, and Michael Howell Conner and wife, Robin, of Valley Mills. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.