On July 1, 1933, Wilford Benard, Jr. was sent by God as a blessing to the late Wilford Benard, Sr. and Goldie Marie Patterson in Port Arthur, Texas. Wilford graduated from Lincoln High School on May 31, 1950 and then went on to pursue his love of music at Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas. While enrolled at Tillotson, he crossed the burning sands on December 10, 1951 to become a brother in the Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi. He graduated from Huston-Tillotson on May 31, 1954.
Wilford was drafted into the Army and stationed in Germany where he met Christa Elisabeth Heckel and later married her on June 4, 1957 in Stuttgart, Germany. Wilford, “Christmas” and their son Rainer travelled to the United States on the USS Upshaw in 1959 and arrived in New York City. In Fort McArthur, California, his daughters Michele and Marcette were born and their family of five then began their lives overseas beginning in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico where he was a member of the United States Army Band. The family then moved to the Panama Canal Zone where Wilford was part of the 79th Army Band at Ft. Clayton and Ft. Amador. Wilford spent his entire military career performing all around the world spreading his love of music and representing the United States as “an ambassador of sound.”
Wilford and Christa never allowed others’ prejudices to discourage them and as the strong family leader he ensured everyone maintained positive attitudes and learned the importance of treating everyone equally. Feeling strongly that education would unlock the doors of discrimination for his children and grandchildren, Wilford Benard, Jr. always served as a role model by earning his master’s degree from Tillotson as well as several other degrees from St. Phillips College and San Antonio College.
On November 6, 2016, God called Wilford Benard, Jr. from earth to glory to join Him. He was preceded in death by his parents Wilford Benard, Sr. and Goldie Benard; his loving wife of almost 58 years, Christa Benard; and his son, Rainer Benard.
He leaves to preserve his memories and celebrate his Homecoming: daughters Michele (Glen) Warren of Warner Robins, GA; Marcette (Rex) Kilgore of Webster, Texas; grandchildren Shaunte’ Davis of San Antonio, TX; Matrex (Amber) Kilgore of Austin, TX; Raquel (Isiah) Clements stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, NM; Morgan Kilgore of Austin, TX; great grandson Eljae Gomez; first cousins Aaron Van Wright, Jr., Goldie Vital, Emma Ruth Hill, Tommy Clark, Carolyn Landry and a host of devoted nieces, cousins, family and friends.
A visitation will be held at 11:30 a.m., on Monday, November 21, 2016 at Sunset Funeral Home, 1701 Austin Hwy. A funeral procession will depart the funeral home after a Chapel Service to begin at 12:00 p.m. with Interment to follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. Expressions of sympathy can be made at www.sunsetfuneralhomesa.com Arrangements under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home, San Antonio, TX.
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