COL. CHARLES EDWARD BONNEY (USA Ret.)
of Dripping Springs, TX completed his final PCS
(Permanent Change of Station) on May 14, 2024,
with burial in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery,
at San Antonio, TX.
Charles was born Oct. 2, 1938 in McCamey, TX
to William Franklin Bonney, Sr. & Ora Mildred
(Medlen) Bonney. Charles was the youngest of
six siblings: William Franklin Bonney Jr.,
Marion Richard Bonney (RHS-1946), Billy Medlen
Bonney (RHS-1948), Jimmy Earl Bonney (RHS-1951),
and Doyle Dean Bonney. Of these, Charles was
preceded in death by his parents, his first wife
Betty Bonney, and brothers William Frank Jr, Marion
Richard, Billy Medlen and Doyle Dean.
He is survived by his wife, Janet Bonney, brother
Jimmy Earl, and wife Georgia Bonney, plus numerous
nieces, and nephews with their families.
Soon after Charles' birth in Ranger, TX, a booming
oil town, became the family's hometown. Charles'
mother soon became both mother and father to the
brothers. The resulting early lessons learned from
his mother, brothers, and neighbors created an
inner compass of honor and duty to God, Country
and Family that never wavered. Charles was able
to retain lifelong friendships with many of his
classmates from First Grade through High School.
Charles credits his Football Coach, O.C. "Stubby"
Warden, who treated him like a son, with imprinting
him with this lifelong motto. "A Winner Never Quits
and a Quitter never Wins". Charles was honored to
be on the Ranger Bulldog Football Team when they
won the Class A State Championship in 1953.
Charles' pre-college jobs: cattle hand with Domino,
his pinto sidekick, lifeguard, dust cropping, peanut
processing, airplane maintenance, men's clothing
retail clerk, coon cap trapper supplier, deer pro-
cessor, and his 6 summers on oil rigs as a roustabout
provided the income for his higher education and gave
him invaluable life perspectives.
After graduation from Ranger High School in 1957,
Ranger Jr. College in 1959, the University of Texas
in 1961 and the University of Texas Law School in
1964 he became a member of the State Bar of Texas
and was admitted for practice before the Supreme
Court of Texas, the United States Court of Military
Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Upon graduation from Law School, Charles was chosen
to be the Briefing Attorney for Judge W.A. Morrison,
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (1964-65). Charles
served with the Court of Criminal Appeals until 1965
and then went to Houston and assumed duties as an
Assistant District Attorney for Harris County. He
served in the briefing section and as a prosecutor
in all levels from misdemeanors to capitol felonies.
Charles' life course changed when he decided to take
a leave of absence for two years from his Assistant
DA duties and serve his country. His request to the
U.S. Army to be assigned to a Division was promptly
accepted and he was assigned to the 9th Infantry
Division (Old Reliables) located in the Mekong Delta
of Vietnam. In early Nov. of 1969, Charles returned
home to an assignment with the 259th MP Company at
Fort Bliss, TX, and was promoted to Captain.
After returning from Vietnam Charles decided to remain
in the Army and was transferred to the Judge Advocate
General's Corps to work as an Army Lawyer retiring as
a Colonel with 25 years of military service. Charles
assignments after Vietnam, included Italy, Germany,
Charlottesville, Pentagon, Fort Hood, Leavenworth, Ft
Lewis, Panama Southern Command, Fort Bliss, & Pentagon
Desert Storm. Charles received many awards & decorations
from his military service include the Purple Heart.
Charles and Janet met during his final Washington D.C.
Tour, married in 1992, returned to his beloved Texas
and built a home in Dripping Springs. Charles resumed
employment for 10 years as a lawyer with various Texas
state agencies including a Hearing Examiner for the
Texas Youth Commission, General Counsel's Office at the
Texas Workers' Compensation Commission, Assistant General
Counsel with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Board
Administrator for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles,
Director of Enforcement for the Texas State Board of
Medical Examiners, & the Texas Commission of Human Rights.
Charles' non-career activities included being the lead
member of his subdivision's ACC committee for many years.
He was a founding member of Austin's Chapter 1919, Military
Order of the Purple Heart, and an active member of the
Dripping Springs Veterans of Foreign Wars, (VFW) Post 2933.
He and his wife, Janet, attended many annual reunions with
his beloved 9th MP Company, the 9th Infantry Division Association,
and the Retired Judge Advocate Association. These groups shared
enduring friendships of the highest levels.
After that second retirement, Charles was able to fully
dedicate himself to a loving home life with Janet, the cats
and dogs and critters on acreage with a home rainwater system.
Vegetable Gardens were always planted, hummingbird plants were
included with water tanks for all the deer. Purple Martin
Colony was established that has thrived for three decades
during their annual migrations of the birds to and from
South America.
Family yearly reunions were joyful. Summertime typically
was the time for nieces and nephews and their families to
travel from afar for Texas Adventure Vacations. Deer
meat hunting trips with family were annual heartwarming
events that filled the freezer with deer meat. Charles was
the chef of the family.
Charles had a passion for history and art including all of
its human lessons that taught him to always strive for
creative perfection. His favorite in-house university job
was a book illustrator for the Department of Anthropology.
He designed his own landscapes on OSB Board with a Dremel
and then painted the inset design in colorful acrylics.
His greatest love was his quiet time outdoors in nature
when he communed with the Lord in prayer and conversations.
As an Officer, Gentleman and a Scholar, Charles loved to
serve others and to keep them close. In his view, he was
simply one of God's Sentinels with a continuing duty to
serve and protect. Given that view towards his passing,
he hopes that his wife, extended family, comrades, and
friends will understand that he has just gone on to God's
next assignment. Now, he has crossed the river and is
resting under the shade of the Great Oak Tree.