Charles Inman

Services for Charles Ray Inman, 83, of Tyler, will be held on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 10:00 AM at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Rev. Rick Tate officiating. A Graveside service will follow on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 3:00 PM at Cedarlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Sherman under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Inman passed away Monday, August 27, 2012 in Tyler. He was born December 8, 1928 in Sherman to Marion V. and Ruth L. Inman. In his youth he was active in the Boy Scouts of America. Charles graduated from Sherman High School then attended Henderson County Jr. College on a football scholarship and graduated from Austin College in Sherman with a degree in Biology. He served in the 49th Armored Division of the Texas Army National Guard from 1948 to 1952 as a Sergeant. He married Shirley Allmon in Sherman on August 18, 1950 and together they had two children, David and Karen. He was of the Methodist faith and had been active in several churches in both Sherman and Tyler. Presently he was a member at Fairwood United Methodist Church. He was employed as a Fisheries Biologist by the Texas Game and Fish Commission in 1952 which in 1963 became the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In 1967 he was transferred from Lake Texoma in Sherman to Tyler. He retired from the Texas Parks and Wildlife in 1988 at which time he began his own lake management business. During his career he worked with countless farmers, ranchers and club lake owners in East Texas, helping them improve the fishing in their lakes and farm ponds. He was instrumental in introducing the Florida strain of Black Bass into the Texas State fish hatcheries and ultimately the waters of Texas. In 1981 Charles was President of the American Fisheries Society, Texas Chapter. In 1989 he was named Conservationist of the year by the Texas Outdoors Writers Association. In 1999 he was honored for his research by being inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Hall of Fame. During his career he published numerous articles dealing with fisheries management for the Parks and Wildlife magazine and other publications. Charles will be remembered as a loving son, husband, father and grandfather and as a friend to all that knew him. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by mother-in-law, Jessie Allmon Hestand; daughter, Karen; sister, Thelma and brothers, Thomas and Edward. He is survived by his beloved wife, Shirley of Tyler; son, David Inman and wife Claudia of Hallsville; brother, Rudolph Inman of Sherman; sister, Delma Brasher and husband Jerry of Abilene; brother-in-law, Bill Allmon and wife Celia of Carrollton; grandchildren, Jennifer Ann Inman of Hallsville, Hup Zane Holland of Austin and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation is scheduled at 9:30 AM, thirty minutes prior to the service on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fairwood United Methodist Church, 1712 Old Omen Road, Tyler, Texas 75701 or a memorial of your choice.

Charles Inman

December 8, 1928 - August 27, 2012