Charlie Fred Waller

CHARLIE F. WALLER (05/24/1931 – 03/14/2024) – Charlie Fred Waller was born on May 24, 1931 in Groveton, Texas to Charlie L. Waller and Ila Fay Callison Waller. An only child, his parents absolutely adored him. He grew up in the small town of Corrigan, Texas on the edge of the East Texas Piney Woods. He was deeply influenced by World War II from the day his family learned of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the radio of the new car his dad was test driving on the way back from Sunday church service, to his Uncle Johnny’s service in Europe, to talking with German prisoners on the train that came through town.

He was entrepreneurial from a young age, always working to connect with people and sell them something. He had a paper route on horseback, sold insurance, and worked as a soda jerk at the local drugstore. During the hot East Texas summers, he climbed through hot attics and crawlspaces, helping his dad wire houses for electricity. He was very social and was elected President of his class at Corrigan High School, where he played football and changed into a band uniform at half time to march with the trombone (which he never actually learned to play.) He continued his education at Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College (now SFA University) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in speech. He was elected by his fraternity as a joke to be a cheerleader, and thoroughly enjoyed getting into the football games free and hanging out with the female cheerleaders.

After college, he served in the U.S. Air Force as an instructor at Lackland Air Force Base during the Korean Conflict. He then began his teaching career in Port Arthur, Texas, where he met Eloyce “Dhale” Fulton. They married on July 29, 1961 in Alexandria, Louisiana and were married for 61 years.

Charlie and Dhale settled in the suburbs southeast of Houston to pursue their respective teaching careers in the Deer Park Independent School District. Charlie taught U.S. History and at Deer Park High School for many years. He became the teacher for the cooperative work study program at Deer Park High School, making connections in the community for students to intern with local employers. For the last several years of his tenure at DPISD he was a guidance counselor at Deer Park High School.

He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Deer Park Public Library, the Deer Park Kiwanis Club and later the Corrigan Heritage Society.

In addition to his teaching career, Charlie worked part-time selling specialty advertising for Nadco Gift Advertising in Houston. Eventually, he started his own specialty advertising promotional products company, CHARCO. Charlie continued to work in the office of CHARCO well into his late eighties.

Charlie, like his parents before him, was a life long member of the church of Christ. He took his role as spiritual leader of his family very seriously and made sure the family attended church services and Bible studies regularly. On family vacation to Hawaii, he learned that the Kaui church of Christ had needs and he quietly sent the congregation support. He made sure his children had the opportunity to attend Christian universities.

For the last couple of years, Charlie and Dhale lived at The Crossings retirement community in League City. Charlie’s primary focus was taking care of Dhale, who was in long term care, but he quickly became a leader among the residents of his Assisted Living community. Charlie enjoyed participating in all of the activities and field trips while making many wonderful friends among the residents and staff.

Dhale and Charlie had two children, Lynn Leigh and Brian David.

Survivors include daughter Lynn (Jason); son Brian (Katie); grandson Mitchell Kelly; granddaughters Sarah Waller and Mackenzie Waller; brother in law Hollis Fulton; sister Jan F. Duvall (Kenneth); nephew Mark Fulton (Patty); niece Leah Fulton; cousins Dianne Hollis Lundy, Sallie Rose Hollis, Donna Malone, Lanny Parker.