CONLEY, CARL CALVIN (1920 ~ 2010)
The following obituary was published in the Austin American- Statesman on January 2, 2011.
Carl Calvin Conley of Austin, a former Texas Legislator, County District Attorney from South Texas, and member of University United Methodist Church, passed away December 30, 2010, at the age of 90. He was born October 2, 1920, in Frederick, Oklahoma. His parents Dr. and Mrs. Charles Calvin Conley and sisters Billie Conley Pickard and Betty Conley Mann predeceased him.
Conley is survived by his wife Merle Willhoite Conley of Austin and their four daughters: Camille (Clay) Cipione of Austin, Cathy (David) Swofford of Austin, Claire (Bill) Selman of Lockhart, and Carla Haynes of Raymondville. Son-in- law Kenneth Mark Haynes preceded him in death. Conley is survived by his grandchildren: Suzanne, Marie Claire, Monique and Jennifer Huff; Wade and Will Swofford; Wes and Jill Selman; Colleen (Bill) Lang, Catherine (Brent) Bauer and great grandchildren: Haynes, Adelaide and Kenneth Bauer; Caroline Conley Lang. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Mrs. James D. McKinney and Mrs. Warren A. Willhoite and numerous nephews, nieces and other relatives.
Conley was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and served during the 55th and 56th Texas Legislatures. He was Chairman of the Insurance Committee and Vice Chair of the Investigating Committee and a member of the House Committees on Banking, Oil and Gas, Labor, Agriculture, State Affairs and Criminal Jurisprudence. Conley was elected to the Texas House by voters in Willacy and Cameron counties, who also elected him to serve two terms as County District Attorney.
Carl Conley was awarded the Purple Heart for his heroic efforts in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II while serving in General Patton's 3rd Army. He voluntarily enlisted and served with the 80th Infantry, 317th Regiment.
Conley's life came full circle when he and his wife returned to Austin six years ago from their ranch in Raymondville, Texas. It was in Austin where Conley received his law degree in 1950 from the University of Texas School of Law. He was a Dean Keeton Fellow at the University of Texas Austin (Charter Member), a member of the University of Texas System Chancellor's Council and a member of the Board of Regents for Pan American University now known as the University of Texas Pan American.
Conley attended Texas A&M University, Queen's University in Ireland, The George Washington University and the University of Texas School of Law. Some of his fondest memories were of Ireland where he watched the Irish Parliament, instilling in him a love for the law. He worked for the FBI in Washington, DC and spent two years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, working as a State Attaché in the US Embassy. He practiced law in Raymondville, Texas, for more than 50 years where he was also a rancher and farmer.
Conley was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity where he held many leadership positions. He was on the Board of Directors for several organizations including the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Raymondville Bank of Texas, Raymondville Historical and Community Center, Raymondville Chamber of Commerce, and past president of the Rio Grande Valley Girl Scout Council. He was a member of Austin Downtown Founder Lions Club. As a member of First United Methodist Church Raymondville, he served as lay speaker and lay delegate to the Methodist Church's annual Southwest Conference for many years.
In addition to his faith, family and his law practice, Conley loved his horses, cattle, and farming. His weekdays were busy in the courtroom, but his weekends were dedicated to polo, rounding up cattle and checking on his crops. He raised Santa Gertrudis and Brahman cattle, along with Lincoln Red his father selected and imported from England and Charolais from France. Conley had some of the world's finest polo ponies and played polo with a passion for more than a decade.
Visitation will be Sunday, January 2nd from 6:00--8:00 p.m., at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 North Lamar in Austin, Texas. Funeral services will be Monday, January 3rd at 1:30 p.m., at the University United Methodist Church, 2409 Guadalupe in Austin with the Reverend Bernie Sandberg officiating and Judge Paul Pressler providing the eulogy. (Parking at Platinum Parking Lot, 25th and Guadalupe.) A reception will follow the burial with Military Honors at the Texas State Cemetery, 909 Navasota Street, Austin.
The family would like to thank Westminster Manor for having provided exceptional care. Memorial contributions may be made to the University United Methodist Church in Austin or to the charity of one's choice.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Brent Bauer, Bill Lang, David Pierson, Wes Selman, Wade Swofford, and Will Swofford. Honorary pallbearers will be: Ben Barnes, Coy Cisneros, J. W. Cooper, Dr. Marshall Pickard, William Redel, Robert Schwarz, George Shelley, Stanley Woods, and Ashley Youngblood.
Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com |
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