It has been two years today since you went to Heaven. Man, what I would give to hear you say, Jenny will you rub daddy's feet, Jenny will you go get us some donuts, Jenny where are you taking us, or Jenny I need you to help your mom with something.  When he was not sick, he and mom would bring me lunch when I was having my infusions.  He would always have some kind of joke to try and lighten the mood. Even if I had to have a procedure, he would show up in the waiting room eating a breakfast burrito and ask if I wanted a bite. 🙃 Knowing I could not have anything to eat or drink. Lol  We would just laugh about it. I know his body is healed now.  I know he is celebrating and running bases in Heaven! I miss you everyday! I think about you everyday! I will always love you daddy!   Daddy, Lori Payne Benker got us donuts in your honor. I cherish all the videos, pictures, conversations, and time I got to spend with you. Watching you pass away was the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life but helping take care of you in the last few months of your life was an Honor! Until I see you again, I know you are always with me in spirit! 

I cannot believe it has been a year since you went to Heaven. We miss you soo much. I talk to you and look for you often. Sometimes I find myself laughing because I can hear you making a funny comment or just  see your facial expression.  I know you are living your best life in Heaven but oh how I miss you.   I had a donut in your honor yesterday. 😁  I love you always daddy.  Love Jenny B.

Oh daddy. I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since you went to your heavenly home.
We all miss you so much. I hear your voice in my head guiding me at times. You would be so happy and proud of me, finally getting that promotion we talked about. I love you. I know you are enjoying heaven so much. 

My baby,  I would not bring you back for anything.  I know you are healed and enjoying your heavenly home that  Jesus  prepared for you.  Even though you deserved your promotion, I miss you terribly.  I talk to you every day.  I look for you all of the time but I know you are happy.  I am going to carry on babe with your spirit beside me, guiding me.  My love for you began in 1966 and continues to this day.  You will always be the love of my life.  Until God calls me home I will say so long for now.  It is never goodbye! Hugs and lots of kisses. PS. You would be so proud of our family!!! They have been awesome since you left us. 

July 4, 2019 found Ray, Mary, George, and I in Washington DC celebrating our love of country and our military on The Mall with hundreds of thousands of other patriots. We thoroughly enjoyed the inspirational music and words as a gentle rain fell upon us and kept us cool. As each branch of our military was introduced, their air units flew overhead while their anthems played.  It was truly spectacular and inspirational. Ray enjoyed his veteran status as he was so proud to have served. That night THE most amazing fireworks show was put on behind The Lincoln Memorial. The next day we toured The Capitol with an intern from Texas. We shared so many adventures with Ray and George on their scooters and poor Mary with a sore knee walking the long blocks of DC. We bonded over meals and over our love for each other and our love of this country and our military. God Bless You Ray and Mary and God Bless the USA! Love, George and Kathy

Tataw,
I can’t remember a time in my life that you were not present. You always pushed us to be the best in all that we did. You and Nanaw instilled Jesus in our lives, and for that, I am forever grateful for. You taught us that family was everything and there wasn’t anything that we could do that you wouldn’t love us and help us through. 
I am so blessed that I had you for  33 years of my life and that you were also apart of my babies lives. They love their Tataw just as much as I do! And I know that Jase was waiting at the gates of Heaven when you came walking through. 
There are so many memories with you that I will cherish forever. I promise to keep your memory alive in my children, as well as teach them the valuable life lessons  that you taught me over the years. There will always be a hole in my heart, but I know that I will see you again soon! Please watch over us and spoil my baby boy as rotten as you can. I love you and will miss you until we see each other again. 

Love your, Jessica Wessica 

Met Ray on the soccer field. Those were the times. Will always remember  Ray and games, talks we had. I know he watches over Mary and the Family daily. 
Love Y’all
Lillie 

Hey Bubba,
  Thanks for you leadership, strength, and Courage. I am going to miss our phones so very much


I cannot share just one memory of Tataw as that would not be a proper reflection of him.  Tataw never failed to be present for my family. It didn’t matter what his life looked like at the time, he always showed up in mine. Nanaw and Tataw made my siblings and I feel like grandchildren of their own. Whether it was Christmas, thanksgiving, birthday parties, sporting events, or any other life milestone they were there. They have been a constant in my life for twenty four years and anyone who was lucky enough to have Tataw in their life knows how special of a man he was. He epitomized strength and resilience. I am forever grateful to have had him as a bonus grandfather in my life. I pray we continue to honor Tataw as a family unit and show up for one another as he always did for us. 

To Nanaw and the rest of the Benker family:  There are no adequate words to portray the love we all have for you. Everything aforementioned is true of you as well. You will continue to be a staple in our lives. I am eternally proud to have you in my corner. Always. Thank you all for sharing Tataw with us. Thank you for always including us and making us feel loved. The pain that comes with losing Tataw will never cease but I pray you find comfort in his memories that will live on within each of you. I know that he will continue to bring smiles on all of our faces until we see him again. I can’t imagine the MMM BOY that he’s going to plant on each of us when the time comes. Until then, we have each other to relay his stories and wisdoms. 

I once told Mary that I love, and that is what I ment. You were the one that I went to ,to talk out my troubles.  I would set by the phone and wait for your call, I knew you would call every week. I still talk to you and I know you hear me. I will be seeing you one , I love you My Bubba

We had a lifetime of memories.  Good and bad but they were ours to cherish for 51 1/2 years.  So many beautiful times and I thank God we had three precious daughters,  each taking something of you and something of me.  You will live on in our hearts and lives forever.   I thank God our grandchildren and our great grandchildren had the opportunity to enjoy you, your love and hugs.  Your memory will forever be embedded in our hearts.  This is not goodbye but I will see you later.  Hugs and kisses my sweetheart. 

The amount of grief after losing my father is indescribable.  Losing a father often means losing a protector, a guiding hand, a coach and a hero.   I have so many memories and some of my favorites are of us being on the soccer fields together.  I was either playing and you were on the side lines yelling ,"run Benker run" (ha-ha), or you were refereeing a soccer game and I was your lines person.  Also, from an early age I can remember you and mom instilled in me a love for music.  Whether it was me playing an instrument or me singing, you were always there, either coaching me or being my audience for a recital.  I have so many great, funny memories that I replay in my head and just laugh.  
My mind still talks to you and my heart still looks for you but my soul knows you are at peace. I will miss our table talks.  I know you are walking the streets of heaven with Jesus and our loved ones that have passed. I can almost bet you are probably coaching a baseball or soccer team.  
There are times I can smell your scent and I say, "good morning Daddy, " and in my head I can hear you say, "hi baby," as you have done many times through the years. 
Now I know why you always told us to be strong.  You knew that one day we would need the strength to bear your loss. I love and miss you so much Daddy.  
Dad, your guiding hand will remain with me forever.  Until we meet again! I love you Daddy.

 Love your twin,
 Jenny



Daddy,

How can I put into words how much you mean to me.
One of my earliest memories of you was when I was a child and I was riding my bicycle in the street.
I was trying to make a turn and lost my balance and my bike fell to the ground with me under it.
I cut my knee open, I couldn’t get up as I was in shock and pain. I screamed “daddy” with tears streaming down my face.
The next thing I knew there you were. You picked me up in your arms and ran me home.
You and momma called me down, cleaned me up, and dressed my wounds.
I guess that memory remains so strong with me because you made me feel safe and cared for.

I have many memories like that through the years.
As a dad, you let me fall, make mistakes, learn my lesson, break the rule, face the consequences of my actions but were right there to help me, you “showed up” for me, stuck by my side, or helped me to “fix” it.

My heart can’t stand the thought that you are no longer here on this Earth, I keep expecting you to show up.
My head however knows that you are where you are meant to be….with Jesus, healed, happy, no more pain and no more tears.
This is not goodbye daddy but see you later. I know you are getting things ready for your family to join you one day soon.
I love you daddy.

I was so blessed to know Ray and have some great memories of our time at Grace.   I especially have some wonderful memories of our missions trips to Mexico.

We are looking forward to the time when we are reunited again with our Lord.

May the Lord comfort the entire family. 

I enjoyed getting to know Ray and loved seeing how much he adored his family. I know his legacy lives on in each of you.  I pray for peace and comfort for everyone. 

I am thinking of the entire Benker family during this difficult time.  I had the great pleasure to meet Ray in NYC a few years ago and he was a wonderful person.

Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

Love,

Doug Walsh

I always loved the special interactions  between Momma and Ray.   It always made everyone laugh.  I send prayers to God for the peace the whole family needs during this time.  Love Glenda Walthall Hataway. 

I remember a child watching Uncle Ray and Uncle Paul always the center of attention and they were both so funny. You never knew whether he was serious when he said things that sometimes was what you knew or at least you thought you knew the right answer . But as sure as you done what  he said him and Uncle Paul  would bust out laughing. Thinking now i think  they may have spent way too much time with  their uncle  Willie . My dad Willie Weaver was a character like them both. My sister Darlene always was very close to him all our lives. I always looked forward when we had reunions to be able to see what uncle ray and uncle paul would  do next. Love him so very much.

What an amazing warrior and a good man he was. He never gave up. He was so nice to me and everyone.  He will be missed! I'm praying for all of you for comfort through this difficult and sad time! Love you all!

So many precious memories to hold in our hearts and it will be those memories that will get us all through the difficult days ahead with out you. 

We have been road buddies and traveled a great majority of this great Country from the east coast to the west coast and all in between and a whole lot of unplanned roads because you and Paul just knew that “wrong road” was the right one to take when Mary and I knew better! No worries though because 50 miles later we were always right back on track generally looking for a gas station.

We have been camping companions forever.  Set up tents in our younger years and built the best of campfires. We have enjoyed life together for 50 plus years. 

We raised our children to love God and family and been blessed to see all our grandchildren and you even had greats! There’s not a minor or major event in our children’s lives that the 4 of us haven’t shared together. 
 
We have played endless hours of 42 with you always saying Mary and I were sending signals to each other under the table because you and Paul were losing! I am so thankful the last set we played crowned ya’ll  the “Grand Champs” and that’s a title I am very happy to have let you take to heaven with you!  

You are now in a better place, no more chemo, no more sickness.  You have met Jesus face to face and heard him say, “Well done thy good and faithful servant!” 

We will all be reunited one day and we can travel up and down those streets of gold and this time there are no wrong roads to take.
 
I hope our mansion is next to yours and Mary’s so we can try our best to take that “Grand Champ” title back where it rightfully belongs! 
We love you Ray Benker and will keep you alive in our hearts on this side of heaven until we meet again! 

 


Stacy, 
 We are so sorry for the loss of your daddy. We are keeping you and your family in our thoughts and prayers. 
Denny, Lisa and Daniel DeMoss

Mary and family, my heart is with you during this difficult time.  Your precious husband is with our Lord and Savior. 
- Louann Cole 

Lots and lots of sweet memories over those 50 years you were with us..lots of fun and laughs..couldn't  find anyone greater for a brother-in-law...you will be missed but so thankful we will see you again...heaven is sweeter..you're  with momma and so many others that are there..

We truly loved you.  You've got your Heavenly reward now.  You left a wonderful legacy behind.  Our hearts are saddened but we know you're rejoicing.  We are lifting up Sis. Mary and your family.  We love you all.

OBITUARY

Ray Benker

January 30, 1948 – January 12, 2021

Roselawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens

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