Palestine High School Alumni Association

08 / 31 / 1901  –  10 / 16 / 1991

Services for Colonel Charles Howard Valentine, 90 of Palestine, will be at 9 a.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church with Dr. Weldon Morton and Rev. Bert Bagley officiating.

Burial will be in New Addition Annex under the direction of Bailey & Foster Funeral Home.

Colonel Valentine died Wednesday at his home after a lengthy illness.  He was born August 15, 1901, in Palestine, to Charlie Thomas and Nannie Harper Valentine.  Colonel Valentine graduated from Palestine High School in 1921, and from Texas A&M University in 1925.

He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Cavalry and first stationed at Fort Clark, Texas.  Subsequent assignments carried him to Fort Stotsenberg in the Philippine Island, and to Fort Benning, Fort Riley and Fort Bliss in the United States.  During World War II, he attained the rank of U.S. Army colonel, and served as Chief of Staff for the 28th Infantry Division in the European Theater.

After the war, he served as Commander of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Fort Meade, Maryland, before returning to the Army of Occupation in Germany. There, he served as the Intelligence Officer of the U.S. Constabulary and later the 7th U.S. Army in Stuttgart, Germany.  He subsequently was assigned as Chief of Staff of the 4th U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from where he retired in October, 1955.

His military honors include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, the Legion d’Honneur, of France, the Order of Leopold, of Belgium, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre with palm.  After retiring from active duty, Colonel Valentine returned to Palestine and worked as a farmer and rancher. He entered his second retirement in 1987. He was a member of First United Methodist Church.

Colonel Valentine was preceded in death by his first wife, Iona Mae Underwood.

He is survived by his second wife, Doris Williams Valentine of Palestine; daughters, Mrs. William D. Wooldridge of San Antonio, and Mrs. J. Irvin Jr. of Wharton; a stepson Cad Williams of Palestine; a brother, Coy Valentine of Tyler; seven grandchildren; and four great grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Walter L. Johnston Sr., Walter L. Johnston, Jr., Ed Clark, Rip Hardin, Harry Brown, Ray Lewis, Jim Baugh, Robert Totah and Bill Bible.

Condolence calls will be received from 5 p.m. til 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 10-18-1991