Memorial services for C.W. "Tex" Hanley, 84 of Sherman, TX will be held at 10:30 AM Thursday January 17, 2008 at the First Presbyterian Church in Denison, TX. Rev. Jim Hawthorne will officiate the service. Waldo Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

C.W. was born on August 24, 1923 in Ft. Worth, TX. He was the son of Claude Waldo Hanley Sr. and Esther Ophelia (Flynn) Hanley. He graduated high school in 1941 and continued his education at Texas A&M. He volunteered for active duty on January 30, 1943. After his basic training he went to San Antonio, TX to the Aviation Cadet Center to start his 26 year career in the Army Air Corps later becoming the United States Air Force. While serving, C.W. was qualified to fly both the P-51 Mustang aircraft and the F-102 fighter jet among many others.

Highlights of his distinguished military career include being assigned to Goxhill, England where he flew with the 361st Fighter Group during World War II. It was there he completed a total of 65 successful combat fighter missions over Germany and enemy occupied Europe. During one of those missions in September of 1944, his heroic actions resulted in his being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. While in the military he was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters.

After the war, C.W. continued his Air Force career with assignments in Okinawa with the 51st Fighter Group, 26th Squadron training new American fighter pilots in preparation for the Korean War, Hawaii as an operations staff officer and Nebraska where he served as a NORAD Liaison officer. The latter part of his career included a tour in El Salvador where he headed up the United States Air Force Mission there.



In January of 1969, he retired as a Lt. Col., and moved his family to Sherman, TX where he worked for Johnson & Johnson 12 years before retiring again.



C.W. first married Martha Hamilton (Lacy) on December 18, 1948. She preceded him in death in 1980. C.W. later married Helen Kathleen (Weston) on February 14, 1983. She preceded him in death on January 3, 2007.

C.W. is survived by his daughter Martha Lacy Price of Sherman, son Claude Waldo Hanley III of Denison, daughter Catherine Lee Harlan and husband Don of Denison, son Fred Hanley of Sherman, nine grandchildren, Elizabeth Garcia, Ricky Price, Tommy Hanley, Jamey Butler, Catie Harlan, Sarah Harlan, Elisha Gilley, Marilyn Harlow and Priscilla Harlow, three great-grandchildren, Grant Garcia, Ella Garcia and Braden Price. Two step-daughters, Lynn Williams and Suzanne Wright and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends, also survive him.

C.W. was preceded in death by parents, two wives, daughter Jessica Alice Harlow and one sister Edna May.

The family will receive friends at the Woodlawn Country Club in Sherman following the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donation be made to the Home Hospice of Grayson County at 505 West Center Street Sherman, TX 75090

Friends and family may sign the online register book at www.waldofuneralhome.com