Thursday, December 11, 2008

A Note From Mike: Uncle Ben's Funeral

Dad and I got this message from Mike regarding Uncle Ben's funeral this past Friday. He wanted us to pass it along to everyone:


Dear Chuck and Britt,

Last friday we buried Uncle Ben Lindley, with full military honors!!!

Thursday night Philip, our cousin the priest, (there still is hope for us yet Britt), gave a real great Catholic wake/ceremony on the life of Uncle Ben with comments and humorous stories from Uncle Harold and Uncle Carl!!!!!

Then they had the formal ceremony at the Catholic Church in Guymon, Oklahoma and the burial thereafter at the cemetery!!!

In attendance and representing the Lindley nation--------Uncle Elbert, (escorted by Gail and Delores) Uncle Carl and his wife Imogene, (escorted by Denise and Mike), Uncle Harold and his wife Mary, cousin Ann and her husband C.L. Boggs!!!!!!

After the ceremony and burial we all adjourned to Aunt Marget's house at their farm in the country and enjoyed a good time with her and our cousins, Uncle Ben's kids (Philip, Mary, Thomas, Martha, Michael and Kevin) and all their kids… There must have been 20 or more grandkids!!!!!!

Chuck, it was a really good military ceremony to honor Uncle Ben, a real WWII combat veteran!!!!!!!!!!

All the best,

Mike

Thanks for the note Mike. Those of us that couldn't be there felt terrible about it, but we're very glad to hear how nice the ceremony was.

Additionally, the Guymon Daily Herald ran this obituary on Dec. 3rd:


Benson (Buster) John Lindley, 92, died Dec. 1 at his home, in rural Optima. He was born July 27, 1916 in Sweetwater, Texas, the third child of Luther and Katie Catherine (Sanders) Lindley. He attended Jake L. Hammond High School prior to enlisting in the Army on March 13, 1941. He served with the Second Armored Division in Africa, France, Italy, Belgium and Germany receiving the Bronze Star and Purple Heart prior to his discharge May 13, 1945. Following his service in the Army, he returned to his hometown Breckenridge, Texas and then headed to Guymon, where he worked for Cabot Corporation and then with Herrington & Marsh for 31 plus years (Dorchester Gas Company).

He married Margaret Lucille Long of Optima on Aug. 2, 1947. He was an avid baseball payer on town teams with Optima, Hooker and Guymon in the 40s and 50s. He served on the Optima School board for several years. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus for over 50 years, and was their Grand Knight for several years in the Guymon Knight’s of Columbus Council at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. He always enjoyed volunteering for various charities in the area.

Benson is survived by his wife of 61 years, Margaret Lindley, his seven children: daughters Mary Erker and husband Stacey of Salina, Kan. and Martha McClenny of MidVale, Utah; sons Michael and wife Linda of Amarillo, Kevin and wife Saundra of Laguna Niguel, Calif., Rev. Phillip Lindley of Amarillo, Lawrence and wife Sherry of Guymon and Thomas Lindley of the home; sister Rosalee Presley of Colorado Springs; brother’s Elbert and wife Jerry of Stephenville, Texas, Carl and wife Imogene of Garland, Texas, Billy Lindley of Abilene, Texas and Harold and wife Mary of Baytown, Texas; sister-in-law’s Jewel Lindley of Duncanville, Texas and Clarene Lindley of Athens, Texas.

He is survived by 10 grandchildren: Justin Mullins and wife Lisa, Kyle Lindley and wife Kayla, Josh Lindley, Christopher and Catherine Erker, Michelle and Steven Lindley, Megan McClenny, and Sarah and John Lindley. He also had 6 great-grandchildren, Lynsey Shannon, Kalie Mullins, Riley, Taylor, Devon and Aubrey Lindley and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Theodore, JC, and Nathan and sisters Ruby and Elizabeth.

Vigil Prayer Service will be held Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at St. Peter’s the Apostle Catholic Church and the Funeral Liturgy will be Friday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s the Apostle Catholic Church with interment following at Elmhurst Cemetery in Guymon. Memorials may be made to the St. Peter’s the Apostle Catholic Church or Loaves and Fishes in Guymon.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Holy heck, Dad (stacey Erker, Mary Lindleys Husband) Said he googled my name, and found stuff. So i decided to do it too. Wow... This is Crazy!
Ha and Yes there's Plenty of us Grandkids
- Catherine Erker