Thomas Ray Benz

THOMAS RAY BENZ was born to Bernard and Theresa (Klever) Benz on November 9, 1942 on a farm south of Harris, Iowa. As a small child, he moved with his parents to a farm by Melvin, Iowa where he attended school. In 1953, he again moved with his parents to a farm north of Pipestone, Minnesota and attended school in Pipestone. He was confirmed at First Lutheran Church, Pipestone, MN in May, 1958. In 1960, he entered the National Guard and served for a total of nine years. During high school, he worked at Benson Implement in Pipestone. In his high school years, baseball was his passion and the Pipestone High school team went to the Minnesota state baseball tournament in 1961. Tom was named to the Minnesota All State Tournament team that year. After graduating from Pipestone High School in 1961, he continued to work at the implement dealership.

On April 13, 1963, he was united in marriage to Barbara Watts at Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone. Following their marriage, they lived on the Watts family farm, and Tom farmed with Barb's parents, George & Dorothy Watts. They moved into town from 1968 to 1970 when Tom was in sales for Moorman Feed Company. In 1970, they again returned to the Watts farm and went into partnership with his father-in-law. Tom was always a farmer at heart. In 1981, they moved into Pipestone and Tom worked at Farrell Implement In 1982, we went into a partnership with a crew doing custom combining work during the summer months. They started in Texas with eight combines and four trucks and worked north with his crew. He was happy & proud to have his daughter, Tami & son, Jim working along with him on his crew. They worked all the way from Texas through South and North Dakota up to Montana. They worked this for 2 summers. In 1984, he became employed by Winter Concrete in Pipestone. He continued working there as the company changed owners, until his retirement in 2005. Tom also did snow removal for Bill Winter during the winter months and part time farming for John Schmidt in the Spring & Fall. Tom died as a result of an accident at his home on Monday, March 16, 2015 at the age of 72 years, four months, and seven days.

Tom was very much a people person and with many, many friends, he could strike up a conversation with anyone. He loved to BS with the guys everywhere he went.

Tom was a member of First Lutheran Church in Pipestone where he served on several church committees, sang in the church choir, taught Sunday School and worked as church custodian from 2003 to 2007. Tom loved farming, driving tractor & combining. He also enjoyed traveling, genealogy (cemetery hunting with Barb), dancing, and especially spending a lot of time with his grandchildren & great grandchildren. He also liked bowling & golfing until a new hip prevented him of doing that.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Barbara, of Pipestone, Minnesota; three children; Tami and her husband Craig Stevens of Pipestone, Jim and his wife, Bridget of Pipestone, and Lori and her husband, Curt Ilse of Pipestone; seven grandchildren, Kaleb & Eli Stevens, Derek (Kyleen) Ilse, Justin (Sara) Ilse & Kaitlyn Ilse, Jessica Benz-Thooft & Braeden Benz, two step-grandchildren, Brooke & Bree Woelber, 2 great-grandchildren Kynlee & Connor Ilse and three brothers, Reg of Dubuque, Iowa, Mark and his wife, Deb of Denver, CO, and Paul and his wife, Linda of Everett, Washington, and several nieces & nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents Bernard & Theresa Benz; and twin brothers, Ross & Eugene who died at birth, and sister-in-law, Diane Benz.