D. A. Benton

D. A. Benton Mr. D. A. Benton, 96, of Longview, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, November 10, 2010. His beloved wife of 73 years, Kathryn, survives him along with his loving children, Delbert A. Benton of Longview and Vickie Leonard of Plano, Texas; grandchildren Tammy Williams and her husband, Jason of Paducah, Kentucky; Kyle Benton Leonard and his wife, Bree of Littleton, Colorado; Tiffany Saucedo and her husband, James of Chicago, Illinois; great grandchildren Hanna Kathryn, Joshua, Sarah Elizabeth, Anna-Jane, Abigail, Judah Benton and Caleb; niece, Betty Hornbeck and cousin Ed Rasch. Preceding him in death were his parents and his brother, Marvin. Mr. Benton was born in Reader, Arkansas, on April 3, 1914 to parents Clate C. Benton and Beulah Meador Benton. He graduated high school in Louann, Arkansas, and received his accounting degree at Draughns Business College in Little Rock. He moved to the Greggton community with his parents in 1933, and in 1935 went to work for Standard Tool and Machine. In 1936 he joined Mr. W. B. Johnson and Mr. N. E. Loomis in the drilling business as office manager and continued as the trusted caretaker for the Johnson Loomis interests, both business and personal, throughout the lifetime of Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Loomis. In May of 1937, Mr. Benton, while working at the Gregg County Court House, was introduced to a young lady working there, Miss Kathryn Stewart. He remarked to his friend that he intended to marry that young lady, and in August of that same year, they wed. He left an indelible mark on his community through his volunteer community service, his civic involvement, and his church work. His extensive service included eighteen years on the City Commission and three terms as mayor of Longview. Mr. Benton’s foremost loyalty was to First Baptist Church, where he served on the deacon board and as former chair of that body. His faithful participation as usher spanned more than 64 years of making members and guests feel welcome to his church. He served in every office of the Knights of Pythias including 31 years as financial secretary. He was a member of the Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorassen and a 32nd degree Mason with more than 54 years of service. He was a Shriner, a 55-year member of the Longview Lion’s Club, and a member and past president of the Longview Jaycees. For more than 39 years Mr. Benton served with integrity and dedication on the board of directors of Texas Bank and Trust Company, formerly Longview Bank and Trust. Mr. Benton enjoyed fishing, hunting, water skiing, and golf. The family would like to thank his faithful caregiver, Carolyn Fisher, for her loving and tender care. Funeral services will be 2 PM Monday, Novermber 15, 2010 at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Kenneth Hall, Rev. David English and Dr. Rick Webb officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Park Cemtery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon form 3 until 5 PM. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Longview.