Roll Call Tribute

Published in Dallas Morning News on Nov. 8, 2017

Charles C. Garner(1923 - 2017)
GARNER, Charles C. Charles C. Garner passed away peacefully on November 2, 2017. Charley was born on April 11, 1923, in Port Arthur, Texas. He grew up during the Great Depression with his parents, Leona Watson and John Garner, in the West Texas town of Mineral Wells in Palo Pinto County. When his dad died, Charley, as a young Boy Scout bugler, blew "Taps" for his funeral. His mother later married H.E. Graham, who became a devoted stepfather. A member of The Greatest Generation, Charley graduated from Mineral Wells High School at the age of 16. After a year at North Texas State Teachers College studying English, a hometown friend and junior at The A&M College of Texas sold him on going to A&M to study engineering. The next fall, he packed the cornet he played in the Mineral Wells High School Band and went to College Station, where he enrolled at Texas A&M as a member of the Class of 1944, signed up to study engineering and joined the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. While at A&M, Charley met his lifelong partner and friend on a blind date arranged by an Aggie classmate. Charley and Ann Katherine Pope were married October 7, 1944, at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center in San Antonio, Texas. Charley left A&M along with his classmates to serve in WWII. He was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces where he trained and instructed in the B-25 Mitchell, the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Super Fortress. He had orders in hand to deploy to the Pacific when the war ended. Charley returned to A&M, earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, and then went to law school at the University of Texas, receiving his law degree in 1950. Within weeks, the Korean War began, during which he served as a Contracting Officer for the U.S. Air Force. Charley dedicated his professional career as Vice President and General Counsel for Standard Manufacturing Company in Dallas, Texas, helping build the company from a modest machine shop into a major manufacturing business that designed and manufactured munitions handling equipment. As the legal officer for Standard, Charley negotiated major contracts with all branches of the U.S. military, governments of foreign allies, and global aerospace defense firms. He also oversaw prosecution and protection of Standard's numerous domestic and foreign patents. Following retirement from Standard and months of intensive self-study, Charley passed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration examination and received his license as a patent attorney. With Ann Katherine as his assistant, he entered private practice, prosecuting patents and protecting intellectual property for entrepreneurial inventors well into his 70's. Charley was a member of the State Bar of Texas, the United States Supreme Court and the Bar of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Charley loved Texas A&M and was a lifelong Texas Aggie, maintaining lifetime bonds with his Aggie classmates. He supported the Aggie football team, win or lose, rarely, if ever, missing a game, whether live or by TV or radio. He served as Class Agent for the Class of '44 and President of the Sul Ross Group, comprised of Aggie grads of 55 years or more. In 2015, the President of the Association of Former Students honored Charley as exemplifying Texas A&M's core values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service. Charley supported the Boy Scouts, serving as Cubmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster. He was a long time member of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, where he was a baritone in the Sanctuary Choir. He loved music of all kinds, particularly the Big Band sounds of the 40's, classical, choral, winds, jazz, and especially, music of classic Broadway productions. He was inspired by God's Creation, in which he felt a special connection with the Divine. Charley's enduring legacy is his example as family patriarch. He was a good natured optimist and personified integrity. He loved all people. He experienced and shared life to the fullest. Charley's discipline and persistence were lifelong traits, while his family was his focus and the motivation for his work. Charley and his family express their appreciation and love for Feleishia Robinson and Vivienne Prout, whose devotion, kindness and love helped Charley remain fully alive as long as he lived, and also for the staff of The Forum at Park Lane, whose individual and collective love for Charley lifted his spirit daily. Charley is preceded by his parents, Leona Watson Graham and John Garner, and stepfather, H.E. Graham, of Mineral Wells. Charley will live on in the hearts of his familywife of 73 years, Ann Pope Garner of Dallas; daughter and son-in-law Judy and Ramon Cantu of Houston; son and daughter-in-law Daniel and Betsy Garner of Dallas; son and daughter-in-law John and Jan Garner of The Woodlands; niece Jamie Storm and Gary Storm of Champaign IL and their family; seven grandchildren and their respective families, including ten great-grandchildren; and his many friends. A Celebration of Charley's life will be held Friday, November 10, 2017, at 2:00 p.m., with a celebration organ prelude beginning at 1:40 p.m., in Shipp Chapel, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood Road in Dallas. Memorial gifts in Charley's honor may be directed to the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church Foundation Clarece Candamio Music Excellence Fund, 9200 Inwood Road, Dallas 75220, or the Charley Garner '44 Memorial Fund, Texas A&M Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Drive, College Station 77840.