Charles Connolly

Charles Edmund Connolly Nov. 20, 1916 - May 23, 2011 Charles Edmund Connolly was born on November 20, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio, to body and fender man Leopold Augustus Connolly and Agnus Winifred Connolly ne Clee. Charles was the third of eight brothers and no sisters in a large Irish Catholic family. He loved playing football and baseball with his brothers. During the Great Depression, Charles worked at E. R. Squibb in Los Angeles, and spent some time riding the rails as a hobo. During World War II, Charles served in the army, first in Alaska, then training paratroopers, and finally with the occupation troops stationed in Sendai, Japan. After the war, Charles obtained a master's degree in Latin American history from the University of California at Berkeley. There he met the love of his life, Louise. They were married on March 16, 1951. They had a son Michael and a daughter Leslie. For twenty-five years, Charles taught school in the Bay Area, including San Carlos High School, where he also coached tennis, golf, photography and chess. After he retired, Charles took up watercolors, and also played many senior tennis tournaments with his long-time partner, newspaperman Don Kirk. Charles enjoyed joking around with his tennis buddies. His wife Louise passed in 2006. Charles died in his home from complications of Parkinson's Disease. He is survived by his youngest brother Richard, his son Michael, his daughter Leslie Vallerga, her husband David Vallerga, and their two sons Michael and Matthew Vallerga. There will be no service.