Charles F. Weaver

CHARLES FRANCIS WEAVER Charles Francis Weaver of Bastrop died January 28, 2012. Charles was born May 25, 1920 in Houston, Texas to Charles Messenger Weaver and Josephine Flowers Weaver. He attended Catholic schools in Houston and graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1937. He worked for Gulf Oil Company until 1940 when he joined a National Guard Cavalry Unit with several other Gulf men. This unit was inducted into Federal Service shortly thereafter. He was serving as a radio operator with the 124th Horse Cavalry, 56th Headquarters Brigade at Fort Macintosh in Laredo, TX when the U.S. was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Shortly thereafter he was selected as a cadet in the Army Air Force. Until joining the service he had never ridden a horse or flown in an airplane. Charles earned his wings both as a Navigator and a Bombardier and was assigned to a B-29 Squadron. He went overseas with the first units and was on their first combat mission on June 4, l944 during the invasion of France. He flew over 35 combat missions. His unit received several Presidential Citations and he was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was sent home in July, 1945, diminished with malaria. Charles married Betty Ruth Dudley on February 13, 1943 before going overseas. He came home to his wife and a baby daughter, Olivia Anne. The family moved to Dallas and for the next five years Charles attended SMU. He graduated in 1950 with a law degree and was a member of the Texas State Bar for over fifty years. The family, including a second daughter, Kathleen Frances, returned to Houston and a job with Gulf Oil Company. In 1953 Charles joined the Kelley-Looney Law Firm in Edinburg, TX. In 1957 he returned to Houston with the Legal Department of the City of Houston. He worked on many projects as Houston grew and retired after years of work as attorney and Assistant Director of the Aviation Department in preparation of contracts and leases for opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport, now known as George Bush Intercontinental Airport. As the family grew, they moved to Montgomery County, nearer the airport. Charles enjoyed time with his family, working with the Boy Scouts and especially fishing and hunting. After retirement he became a talented wood-worker, making and designing wooden articles and furniture for the family and various charities. He is survived by this wife, Betty, daughter Anne McClung and children Byran and Tammy Rose and husband, Lewis; daughter Kathy McCall and husband, John; son Dr. John, wife Carolyn and grandchildren Leigh Ann, Stuart, Grant, Abbey Weaver, and Nicole Macey, husband Ryan and great grandchildren Dylan and Lily; son Charles, Jr., wife Alecia and grandchildren Pierce, Blair and Quinn; and daughter Lisa Staton; sister, Josephine Angenend of Beaumont and many nieces and nephews. Rosary and Visitation at 7:00 pm, Friday February 3 at Bastrop Providence Funeral Home Chapel, 2079 Highway 71 East, Bastrop, TX A funeral Mass will be held at ll:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at Ascension Catholic Church, Bastrop, TX. Burial at Fairview Cemetery, Bastrop, following Mass. A Guest Book is available at www.bastropprovidencefuneralhome.com. The family wishes to thank the staff at Paradise Courts Assisted Living and Austin Hospice for all of their kind and loving care during these past few months. In lieu of flowers the family would suggest that a gift of memory be directed to St. Thomas High School, 4500 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77007 or the scholarship fund at Bastrop Senior Center, 1008 Water Street, Bastrop, TX 78602.