Rev. Walter "Bill" Whitley Connally, Jr.

Reverend Walter Whitley (Bill) Connally Jr., 95, passed away August 30, 2024 at The Blake at Waco. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at First Baptist Church of Waco, with Dr. Matt Snowden officiating. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service, at 10:00 a.m., at the church. A family burial will be held later.

Bill Connally, as he was known to friends and family, was born January 25, 1929 in Kaufman, Texas. His parents were Walter Whitley (Billy) Connally Sr. and Thelma Fitzerald Connally. Walter Sr. was a career railroad man following work around several East Texas towns before settling in Palestine, Texas. Thelma worked at a clothing store in Palestine. Bill was their only child. After graduation from Palestine High School, Bill left for East Texas Baptist College (now university) where he met the love of his life, Vera Dale Patton. Bill and Vera Dale were married June 2, 1950. Vera Dale became a math teacher and taught at Aledo while Bill finished his Master of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. They moved to Carthage, Texas, Bill’s first pastorate. After a couple of pastorates in East Texas and New Mexico, and the addition of two sons, the family moved to Yoakum, Texas in 1966. Bill pastored First Baptist Church of Yoakum, and Vera Dale taught seventh grade math until retirement in 1994. After moving to the Waco area, having never really retired from ministry, Bill pastored the Fairview Baptist Church near Whitney Dam for several years. Bill and Vera Dale spent their more recent years as members of First Baptist Church of Waco--their first experience in decades at being “normal” church members.

Bill and Vera Dale were regulars at Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Missouri. It was the family’s annual vacation spot for camping and trout fishing. They ministered to numerous families they met on the riverbank, who often planned their family vacations together. Bill’s love for fly fishing was passed on to his sons and grandchildren to the point of obsession for them.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents and his wife. He is survived by his sons, John Boyd Connally and his wife, Linda from Murchison, Texas; and Whitley Dale Connally and his wife, Gae of Lorena, Texas; grandchildren, Amanda Headrick and husband, Aaron, Brad Connally and wife, Wendy, Carly Curry and husband, Kyle, and Chloe Trapp and husband, Nate, and seven great-grandchildren. Pallbearers include Brad Connally, Tag Coolidge, Kyle Curry, Aaron Headrick, James Leist, and Garlan Weber.

The family wishes to thank the staff at The Blake Waco and Bluebonnet Hospice for compassionately caring for Bill.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory on Bill’s “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WHBfamily.com.