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- [S927] Obituary.
NEW ULM, Minn. Gerald (Gary) Bender, at age 70, of New Ulm, Minn., died June 11, 2011, and went peacefully to heaven at his home surrounded by his beloved family, after?three years and?two months battle with pancreatic cancer.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 15, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm with Monsignor Douglas Grams celebrating the Mass. Burial will follow in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be 4?to 8 p.m. Tuesday and continuing from 7:30?to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. There will be a parish prayer service at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home. To sign the guest book or to leave an online condolence to the family go to www.mvfh.org.
Gary was born on July 18, 1940, to George and Emma (Stein) Bender and raised on their family farm southwest of St. Anthony, N.D., and was educated in St. Anthony.
Gary worked in the stockyards in Bismarck, N.D., for a year, and then began working at Curry City Service Station in Mandan, N.D. While working there, he serviced Wagner and Belohlavek and Siegel trucks. He went from servicing trucks to driving trucks with the help and instruction of his very good friend, Charles (Chuck) Umpleby.
In 1962, he married the love of his life, Margaret Geiss, and they moved to Billings, where they began raising their family. His first trucking job there was hauling cattle for Loyd Richards.
From 1964-67, he hauled grain for George Marcenko. In 1968, he started driving transport for Kraft Foods and was then transferred to the New Ulm branch in 1973, where they bought a 20 acre hobby farm west of town. In 1999, he retired from Kraft Foods, where he earned many awards for excellence in safe driving - one of his career milestones was achieving 3 million accident free miles.
Gary and Margie bought their dream motorhome and began traveling the U.S., Alaska, Canada?and Mexico. His love for being on-the-road never ended, and even in retirement, he drove for Aschenbrenner Trucking of New Ulm during summer months. As snow-birds, they found a special place in Apache Junction, Ariz., and spent many happy, warm winters there.
Gary and Margie taught their children the joy of traveling and the importance of family, and continued the connection of family ties out west, where they enjoyed many memories with brothers and sisters and their children and very special friends, who will always stay close in their hearts. He loved his children and grandchildren and enjoyed spending as much time as he could with them.
Gary made people happy with his quick wit and charm, which he kept until the end. He was a special man to all who knew and loved him. He will be greatly missed.
Gerald is survived by his wife of 49 years Margaret; his children Paulette (Richard) Shilling, Four Oaks N.C., Gregory (Ingrid) Bender, Wiesbaden Germany, Rebecca (Michael) Bown Ham Lake, Minn., Nancy Jo (Allen) Dauer New Ulm, Minn., Joseph Bender (special friend Iris Rosales) New Ulm, Minn.;?ten grandchildren, Jamie and Jackson Shilling, Patrick and Jennifer Bender, Scott and Matthew Bown, Maggie, Adam, Loren and Rachel Dauer; and great granddaughter Hailey Marie Bown; Brothers, Clarence (Millie) Bender Billings, Kenneth (Wynetta) Bender Billings; Sisters, Dolores Scott Forsythe, Mont., Evelyn Phelps Bismarck, N.D., Nettie (Dennis) Braun Mandan, N.D.; Brother-in-law, Russell (Sundra) Geiss Mandan, N.D.; Sisters-in-law, Isabel Bender (Edward Wagner) Billings, Cecilia Bender Billings, Vangie Bender Stockton, Calif.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and very special friends.
Preceded in death; parents George and Emma Bender; Brothers, Leonard (Ann), Urban, Leo, Vernon; Sisters, Paulette Bender (in infancy), Irene (Eugene) Schantz, Stella (Otto) Eisenbarth, Phyllis (Marvin) Birk.
A special thanks to Dr. Scott Rysdahl, ISJ Oncology Dept. (Mankato), all Rochester/Scottsdale Mayo Clinic personnel, and New Ulm Hospice caregivers. You truly are Angels of Mercy.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to American Cancer Society or Allina Hospice out of New Ulm Medical Center.
- [S926] Find-A-Grave, (www.findagrave.com).
Gerald Gary Bender
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Birth: Jul. 18, 1940
Saint Anthony
Morton County
North Dakota, USA
Death: Jun. 11, 2011
New Ulm
Brown County
Minnesota, USA
Gerald "Gary" Bender, 70, New Ulm, Minn., died June 11, 2011, and went peacefully to heaven at his home surrounded by his beloved family, after three years and two months battle with pancreatic cancer. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 15, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, New Ulm, with Monsignor Douglas Grams celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in New Ulm Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. today and continuing from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home, New Ulm, where there will be a parish prayer service at 7 p.m. today.
Gary was born July 18, 1940, to George and Emma (Stein) Bender and raised on their family farm southwest of St. Anthony and was educated in St. Anthony. Gary worked in the stockyards in Bismarck for a year and then began working at Curry City Service Station in Mandan. While working there, he serviced Wagner and Belohlavek and Siegel trucks. He went from servicing trucks to driving trucks with the help and instruction of his very good friend, Charles "Chuck" Umpleby.
In 1962, he married the love of his life, Margaret Geiss, and they moved to Billings, Mont., where they began raising their family. His first trucking job there was hauling cattle for Loyd Richards.
From 1964-67, he hauled grain for George Marcenko. In 1968, he started driving transport for Kraft Foods and was then transferred to the New Ulm branch in 1973, where they bought a 20-acre hobby farm west of town. In 1999, he retired from Kraft Foods, where he earned many awards for excellence in safe driving ? one of his career milestones was achieving 3 million accident free miles.
Gary and Margie bought their dream motorhome and began traveling the U.S. (Alaska), Canada and Mexico. His love for being on-the-road never ended, and even in retirement, he drove for Aschenbrenner Trucking of New Ulm during summer months. As snow-birds, they found a special place in Apache Junction, Ariz., and spent many happy, warm winters there.
Gary and Margie taught their children the joy of traveling and the importance of family, and continued the connection of family ties out west, where they enjoyed many memories with brothers and sisters and their children and very special friends, who will always stay close in their hearts. He loved his children and grandchildren and enjoyed spending as much time as he could with them.
Gary made people happy with his quick wit and charm, which he kept until the end. He was a special man to all who knew and loved him. He will be greatly missed.
Gerald is survived by his wife of 49 years, Margaret; his children, Paulette (Richard) Shilling, Four Oaks, N.C., Gregory (Ingrid) Bender, Wiesbaden, Germany, Rebecca (Michael) Bown, Ham Lake, Minn., Nancy Jo (Allen) Dauer, New Ulm, Minn., and Joseph Bender (special friend, Iris Rosales), New Ulm; 10 grandchildren, Jamie and Jackson Shilling, Patrick and Jennifer Bender, Scott and Matthew Bown, Maggie, Adam, Loren and Rachel Dauer and great-granddaughter, Hailey Marie Bown; brothers, Clarence (Millie) Bender and Kenneth (Wynetta) Bender, all of Billings, Mont.; sisters, Dolores Scott, Forsythe, Mont., Evelyn Phelps, Bismarck, and Nettie (Dennis) Braun, Mandan; brother-in-law, Russell (Sundra) Geiss, Mandan; sisters-in-law, Isabel Bender (Edward Wagner) and Cecilia Bender, all of Billings, and Vangie Bender, Stockton, Calif.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and very special friends.
Preceded in death by parents, George and Emma Bender; brothers, Leonard (Ann), Urban, Leo and Vernon; sisters, Paulette Bender (in infancy), Irene (Eugene) Schantz, Stella (Otto) Eisenbarth and Phyllis (Marvin) Birk.
Burial:
New Ulm Catholic Cemetery
New Ulm
Brown County
Minnesota, USA
Created by: Dale & Corinne Wise
Record added: Jun 14, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 71337620
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1940 - 2011 (70 years)