Charles Childers

A memorial service for Charles L. Childers, 83, of Tyler will be held on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 11:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Stuart Baskin and Rev. Ben McAnally officiating. Interment will be at Rose Hill Mausoleum in Tyler prior to the service. Mr. Childers passed away on Monday, March 3, 2008 at Hospice of East Texas in Tyler. Mr. Childers was born on February 12, 1925 in Dallas to the late Charles Lee and Mamie Lou Swift Childers. He was a 1942 graduate of Sunset High School in Dallas. Mr. Childers served his country as part of the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He served at Pearl Harbor and was in Officer Candidate School at Purdue University when the war ended. After the war, Mr. Childers furthered his education at Southern Methodist University where he received a BBA Degree in 1947 and completed graduate studies at the SMU Southwestern Graduate School of Banking in 1960. In 1970, he graduated from the Senior Bank Officer?s School at Harvard University. In 1988, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Texas College. Mr. Childers enjoyed a long career in banking. He worked for the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas before moving to Tyler. He joined Republic National Bank, formerly Tyler Bank and Trust Company in 1957, where he served as President, Chairman of the Board and CEO for 30 years. He retired from banking in 1987 after 50 years of service. Mr. Childers was very involved in the Tyler community. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Tyler, where he served as Deacon, Elder, and Trustee. In 1980, he received the T.B. Butler Award for Most Outstanding Citizen of the City of Tyler. He also received the "Heroes of Tyler Public Schools" Award in 2002. He served as Past President of the Texas Bankers Association in Austin, the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Texas Rose Festival, Order of the Rose, Strutters Rose Parade, Tyler-Smith County United Fund, East Texas Symphony Association, Tyler Community Concerts, Tyler YMCA, March of Dimes, Mental Health and Mental Retardation Association, East Texas Mental Health, Inc., and Tyler Industrial Foundation. He also served as Director of the Tyler Rose Museum Association and was an elected member of the Tyler Independent School Board during 1971-1976, serving as President in 1974. In the past, Mr. Childers also served as Chairman or Board Member of the East Texas Hospital Foundation, University of Texas at Tyler Development, University of Texas Health Center at Tyler Development, Conference of State Bank Supervisors, American Bankers Association Commercial Lending Division, East Texas State Fair Executive Committee, City of Tyler Planning and Zoning Commission, Smith County Appraisal District Review Board, and Smith County Consultant to County Auditor. He was a member of Sharon Temple and served as Treasurer in 1972. Mr. Childers was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Janet Blankenship Baker. He is survived by a loving family including his wife of 58 years, Jean Brewer Childers; a son, Richard Lee Childers and wife Beverly of Austin; a daughter, Terri Childers Brown and husband Daniel of Austin; and four grandchildren, Ryan Brown, Devin Brown, Kelly Childers, and Kevin Childers. Visitation is scheduled from 5:30-7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, Tyler, Texas 75703. Memorials in honor of Charles Childers may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk, Tyler, Texas 75701 or Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75702.

Charles Childers

February 12, 1925 - March 3, 2008