Palestine High School Alumni Association

03 / 10 / 1921  –  05 / 05 / 2008

Charley Pearl Griffin Sansom was born March 10, 1921, in Palestine, Texas. Charley died in her sleep early the morning of May 5, 2008. She was the fourth child born in the family of Charley M. and Pearl Elizabeth Bradbury Griffin. After the death of her mother in 1928, she was adopted by Jewell Griffin and Leon Dupree.

Growing up in Palestine, she attended the public schools, graduating from Palestine High School in 1937. Following high school, she attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, graduating in 1942 with degrees in English, Elementary Education, and Religious Education.

During World War II, she served as Director of Religious Education at First Christian Church in Palestine. She taught junior high school social studies at Woodhouse Common School District in Anderson County. During the summer she worked in Washington, D.C., for the Navy Department summer work program for teachers.

In 1945, Charley was married to Charles C. Sansom Jr. They moved to Austin, where Charles enrolled at the University of Texas to complete his degrees in journalism and economics.

Charley worked as student director at the Texas Bible Chair. As one of the 11 founding members of University Christian Church, she was involved in every phase of church work, but enjoyed working with the 5-year-old children, she served as a Sunday school teacher for 60 years. She was a kindergarten teacher at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection until kindergarten classes were voted a part of Texas’ public schools. She then became a teacher in the Austin school system at Maplewood and Doss Elementary Schools until her retirement in 1979.

Charles and Charley spent their retirement years in Palestine where they were avid square dancers, volunteers, and church workers. Charley has been a resident at Westminster Manor in Austin since 1993.

Charley lived a meaningful life, and although we will miss her, we celebrate the life she lived. It was full of love, laughter, and devotion to God and her beloved family and friends.

She is survived by son, Steve and his wife Paula of Austin; daughter, Kay and her husband Tony Hill of Texarkana, Ark.; son, Phil and his wife Judy of Pflugerville; and grandson, Aaron, also of Pflugerville.

She was preceded in death by Charles in 1993, at which time she became a resident of Westminster Manor in Austin.

Memorial service will be at University Christian Church, 2007 University Ave., Austin, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Herrington/Land of Memory Funeral Home, 3434 S. Loop 256, Palestine.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Chapel of the Air at Land of Memory Cemetery with the Rev. Linda Herron officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Herrington/Land of Memory.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your local area food bank.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 05-07-2008