Olga Alice Kuritza Benson (affectionately known as “Mema”) passed away on December 28, 2019, at the age of 103 years old. She was born in Houston, TX on August 20, 1916, to Dymtro Kuritza and Katherine Tomkou. She graduated in 1934 from Sam Houston High School in Houston, TX, and married her only love, Jesse Benson, on May 14, 1940. She dedicated herself to raising her sons and later worked at the Harris County Tax Office. She very much enjoyed being a member of Woodland Baptist Church for over fifty years. She loved all things flowers and gardening and was fiercely devoted to her many family members and friends. She was deeply devoted to her Christian faith and joins the church triumphant with her husband and parents as well as her brothers, Roy Kuritza and Walter Kuritza, and sister, Katherine Kuritza Fisher, and also her beloved only grandson, Derek Roger Benson. She is survived by her sister, Lucille Kuritza Sales, and her sons, Woodrow Benson and Jerry Benson, and her granddaughters, Sarah Benson Bloch, Rebecca Benson, Jessica Benson Strickland, and Jana Benson, and her great-grand children, Ty and Nolan Strickland and Raquel, Felix, and Oliver Bloch and countless extended family and friends. Special thanks to Paul and Sharon Ragsdale and all of their staff at Cypress Assisted Living who took perfect care of our Mema like she was one of their own. Services will be Saturday, Jan. 4th, 2020 at Forest Park Lawndale, 6900 Lawndale, Houston, TX 77023 with visitation at 1 pm and funeral at 2 pm with graveside service immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Epilepsy Foundation.
