Eugene "Gene" Bench

Funeral services for Arvel Eugene "Gene" Bench, 82, of Greenville are at 10 a.m. today in the Coker-Mathews Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Bill Shaddox and Rev. Joel Arnold officiating. Burial with military honors follows in Memoryland Memorial Park.Mr. Bench was born May 9, 1927, in the Salem community near Greenville to Marion Arvel and Ada Voyles Bench. He graduated from Greenville High School in 1934 and attended East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce. Mr. Bench served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was in the Amphibious Forces of the Third Fleet in the Battle of Okinawa. He returned to Greenville after the war and was employed at International Milling Company where he was a purchasing agent and assistant personnel manager.He lived many years in Dallas where he was in the IBM business in the early years of computers. He was employed by National Security Life Insurance Company as a programmer and office manager.Gene returned to Greenville in 1982 and was employed at Fiberite. He married Florette Hamberlin in 1989, and they resided in Greenville and Gilmer. Gene was a Methodist.Surviving are his wife, brother Vernon Bench and sisters Sybil Burton, Ruth Duncan, Leta Money and Martha Baughman Dial, all of Greenville.Pallbearers are Richard Bench, Wayne Money, David Bench, Terry Money, Vernon Bench Jr. and Kenneth Money. Honorary pallbearers are James Cody, Douglas Bench, Robert Duncan and Dale Money.