Texas State Representative, State Senator. The brother of former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John Bowden Connally, Jr., and Merrill Lee Connally, Sr., a noted actor and former county judge. Born in Wilson County, Texas, to a tenant farmer and his wife, he attended schools in Floresville and San Antonio, and attended the University of Texas in Austin. He joined the United States Army Air Corps (now the United States Air Force) at the start of World War II. After the war, Connally returned to the ranch before he followed his brother's footsteps into politics. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1964, and won a seat in the State Senate two years later, where he represented Senate District 21 from the 59th through the 62nd Texas Legislatures, a position he held until January 1973. He was also honored by his peers as "Governor for a Day" in October 1971. He left a legacy which includes creating the first upper-level higher education institution in Laredo in 1970, which was the first step towards establishing Texas A & M International University in 1993. The Texas State Senate introduced a resolution on March 19, 2001, on what would have been Connally's 78th birthday, to recognize his public service. After leaving the legislature, Connally spent the remainder of his life working on his family ranch, until he moved to Cody, Wyoming to be closer to his children. He died in Wyoming, and his ashes were scattered on the family land in Floresville, Wilson County, Texas. The marker at Texas State Cemetery was erected by his friends and is a cenotaph.
Texas State Representative, State Senator. The brother of former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John Bowden Connally, Jr., and Merrill Lee Connally, Sr., a noted actor and former county judge. Born in Wilson County, Texas, to a tenant farmer and his wife, he attended schools in Floresville and San Antonio, and attended the University of Texas in Austin. He joined the United States Army Air Corps (now the United States Air Force) at the start of World War II. After the war, Connally returned to the ranch before he followed his brother's footsteps into politics. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1964, and won a seat in the State Senate two years later, where he represented Senate District 21 from the 59th through the 62nd Texas Legislatures, a position he held until January 1973. He was also honored by his peers as "Governor for a Day" in October 1971. He left a legacy which includes creating the first upper-level higher education institution in Laredo in 1970, which was the first step towards establishing Texas A & M International University in 1993. The Texas State Senate introduced a resolution on March 19, 2001, on what would have been Connally's 78th birthday, to recognize his public service. After leaving the legislature, Connally spent the remainder of his life working on his family ranch, until he moved to Cody, Wyoming to be closer to his children. He died in Wyoming, and his ashes were scattered on the family land in Floresville, Wilson County, Texas. The marker at Texas State Cemetery was erected by his friends and is a cenotaph.
Bio by: H M G
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