Benny was born in Brenham, Texas, on July 15, 1935 to the late B.I. and Sireta Beaumier Hurdle. After the death of his mother in 1938, he moved to Victoria, Texas, where he permanently resided. He attended Patti Welder High School where he met the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Margie Gathright. Benny graduated from Patti Welder in 1953.
Benny married Margie in 1955, and they remained lovingly devoted to one another for 64 years.
In 1956, Benny got a job at Union Carbide as an operator, a job that would ultimately determine his career path for the next 37 years. For 25 of those years he worked in the Oxide Department as a well-respected technical engineer. During his years at Union Carbide, Benny was given the opportunity to travel the world with the company and spend time in Czech Republic, Puerto Rico, Australia, and Bulgaria.
In 1958, their only son, Michael, was born. Benny's loving and patient disposition made him a wonderful and dedicated father. Benny and Margie ardently devoted their time and energy to Mike's childhood. From peewee baseball through teenage league, Benny took on the active role as coach. The love of baseball that Benny instilled in Mike developed into a career and they were given the opportunity to travel the state and country to watch him play.
In 1982, the Hurdle family grew when Mike married their beloved daughter-in-law, Diane. Benny and Margie became grandparents in 1983 and again in 1985 when their granddaughters Allison and Brittany were born. They were from then on affectionately known as "Memi" and "Boppie." The couple devoted their lives to their family and spent many happy holidays, Sunday dinners, camping trips, and backyard baseball games together. Boppie's energy, enthusiasm, and love for his children, grandchildren, and later great-grandchildren was endless.
Benny and Margie attended Christ the Victor Lutheran Church where they were charter members when the church opened its doors in 1966. They remained active in the church, and Benny not only served on countless committees but was also President of the Congregation. In Benny's later years, the presiding pastor envisioned a community garden and asked Benny to carry out the idea. As with anything Benny did, he went above and beyond, and maintained a prosperous and fruitful garden that yielded food for many years, and is still in production.
Anyone who knew Benny knew how active he remained throughout his life. On any given day, you could find him volunteering at church, meticulously working on his model train set, woodcrafting in his workshop, or fervently researching his genealogy. He was frequently called on by friends and family as a Mr. Fix-It, and truly could fix or figure out any project.
Whether called Benny, Boppie or Mr. Hurdle, he was known for his tender heart, his silly sense of humor, his hardworking spirit, and his devotion to his family, friends, and faith. He will be missed by all that were blessed to know and love this incredible man.
Benny is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Margie; son Michael Hurdle and daughter-in-law Diane Hurdle; granddaughter Allison Brendel, her husband Brian Brendel, and great-grandchildren Trey, Elizabeth and Charlotte; granddaughter Brittany Ewing, her husband Ryan Ewing, and great-grandson Leo; niece Melissa Lyman, her husband Robert Lyman, and great-nieces Kelsey Lippitz and Sarah Lyman; nephew Greg Gathright; and lifetime friends Ronnie and Bette Painter.
The family would also like to extend a special thank you to Rosemary, Benny's exceptional caregiver at Twin Pines Mockingbird.
Visitation and meal will be held on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at 12:30 pm, and funeral service at 2:00 pm at Christ the Victor Lutheran Church in Victoria, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Christ the Victor Lutheran Church or Parkinsons.org
Words of comfort may be shared at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
