Bennie Markham

Bennie Markham, age 68, of Aurora, died Saturday, September 22, 2007, at Bryan/LGH West in Lincoln.

Funeral Services will be held 9:30 A.M., Wednesday, September 26th at the Aurora United Methodist Church. Dr. Tom Markham and Rev. Richard Karohl will officiate. Interment will be in the Merna Cemetery at 3:30 P.M. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 P.M. Tuesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. A memorial in Bennie’s name will be used to help the baseball programs in Aurora and Hampton, Nebraska. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: BENNIE MARKHAM

Bennie was born in Springhill, Louisiana on August 13, 1939 to A. Elton and Mildred (Tuetsch) Markham. He was the youngest of three boys born to this union. He passed away on September 22, 2007 in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the age of 68 years, 1 month and 9 days.

He graduated from Merna High School with the Class of 1957 and served with Company D of the 8th Medical Battalion of the United States Army from 1962-1965 as a medic. During his enlistment he became a member of the Division Baseball Team as a left-handed pitcher and traveled all over Europe playing baseball. Bennie and some army buddies also formed a country western band that played at Road Houses in Germany. He was the lead singer and played the guitar. His love of baseball and music continued through out his lifetime. After his honorable discharge in November 1965, he returned home to Merna, Nebraska and began farming with his stepfather, Karl Safranek. On September 10, 1966 he married Glenna Jean Stevens at the United Methodist Church in Merna, Nebraska and two children were born to this union, Gregory and Danelle.

Bennie started his own trucking company and later drove over-the-road for various other trucking companies until his retirement from Sunflower Carriers in York, Nebraska. His CB handle was “Road Hog”. He received many safety awards for having no chargeable accidents and was named “Driver of the Year” for having driven the most miles by a solo driver, second only to a team of drivers.

Bennie was an avid, self-taught bridge player, accomplished pool player and loved to read. Reading gave him many hours of enjoyment with history, The Second World War, mysteries and nature being his favorite titles. He adored his grandchildren and attended many of their ballgames and school functions. After his retirement Bennie’s favorite spot in all the world was their porch swing where he could be heard playing his guitar and singing or listening to his boom box with the neighbor’s cat as his faithful companion.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Glenna of Aurora; son, Greg (Marlene) of Aurora; daughter, Danelle (Chad) Klute of Hampton; grandchildren, Carson Klute, Cavett Klute, Kate Klute and Elizabeth Zier; step-mothers, Vernie Markham of Shreveport, Louisana and Kathryn Safranek of Merna, Nebraska; mother-in-law, Pearl Stevens of Merna, Nebraska; 3 brothers, Tom (Sandy) Markham of Ocala, Florida, Jerry Markham of Shreveport, Louisiana and Ray Franklin of Springhill, Louisiana; 2 sisters, Hilda (Manuel) Kay of Hosston, Louisiana and Marie Lloyd of Doyline, Louisiana; 4 sisters-in-law, Phyllis Markham of Merna, Nebraska, Alice Markham of Lumberton, Texas, Ruth (Jerry) Sloggett of Broken Bow, Nebraska and Carolyn (George) Witte of North Platte, Nebraska; brother-in-law, Don ( Elaine) Stevens of Mountain Home, Idaho; many nieces and nephews and cousins and extended family: Steve (Barb) Adams of Broken Bow, Nebraska, Sandy (Vic) McCarty of Lincoln, Nebraska and Peg (Dave) Jensen of Elba, Nebraska.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Harold and Jim Markham and step-father, Karl Safranek.