Vera Dale Connally

Vera Dale Connally, 91, passed away August 9, 2020, at Heartis Waco. Services will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, August 13, at First Baptist Church of Waco with Dr. Matt Snowden officiating. A family burial will be held later. Vera Dale Connally was born August 21, 1928, in Alba, Texas. Her parents were Samuel Denson Patton and Minnie Ethel Vermillion Patton. S.D. worked as a rural postal carrier, while Ethel was busy with their children—Aaron, Alton, Harvine, Howard, Doris, Vera Dale and Betty. Vera Dale graduated as the Valedictorian of Alba High School. She left for East Texas Baptist College (now university), where she met the love of her life, Walter Whitley Connally, Jr., better known as Bill. Bill and Vera Dale were married June 2, 1950. Vera Dale became a math teacher and taught at Aledo while Bill finished his seminary degree. They moved to Carthage, Texas, Bill’s first pastorate. They moved to Crim’s Chapel. 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. She was very proud to have earned her master’s degree from Prairie View College’s extension program. Even in retirement Bill pastored the Fairview Baptist Church outside Whitney Dam. Vera Dale took her informal role of Preacher’s Wife seriously. Over the years she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, sang in the choir, and provided invaluable behind-the-scenes support of her husband and pastor, Bill. They spent their more recent years as members of First Baptist Church of Waco, their first experience in decades at being “regular” church members. Bill and Vera Dale were regulars at Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Missouri. It became the family’s regular vacation spot. She loved trout fishing, camping and seeing vacation friends year after year. She also made sure her sons, and eventually her grandkids, all learned how to successfully catch fish, and endeared the fun and beauty of the park to her entire family. The couple retired in 1994 to the Waco area to be near their two sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. They became Baylor fans, and were ardent Lady Bear basketball supporters, rooting on all three national championship teams. Vera Dale would like the word “ardent” from all those daily crossword puzzles she finished over the years. Vera Dale is preceded in death by her parents, Ethel and S.D. Patton; her brothers, Aaron, Howard and Alton; and her sisters, Betty, Harvine and Doris. She is survived by her husband, Walter Whitley “Bill” Connally, Jr. of Waco; her sons, John Boyd Connally and his wife, Linda, from Pittsburg, Texas, and Whitley Dale Connally and his wife, Gae, of Lorena, Texas; grandchildren, Amanda Headrick and Brad Connally, Carly Curry and Chloe Trapp; and six great grandchildren. Pallbearers will include Brad Connally, Tag Coolidge, Kyle Curry, Aaron Headrick, Alvis Rummel, and Nate Trapp. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.