Billy Ray Benge

Billy Ray Benge was born on May 2, 1945, to Ross and Florence Benge in Hulbert, OK.  He was the youngest in a family of 3 boys and 6 girls. His family traveled with a horse and wagon. He remembered when they got electricity. He was of Cherokee descent.  He started driving a grocery delivery truck when he was 20. He eventually bought his own semi tractor trailer. He drove his own truck and trucks for companies for 40 years. He had many truck driving stories to tell. He was a hardworking man who worked for many years to support his family. He liked to fish and dug his own pond with a small Ford tractor. He loved taking the grandkids fishing on that pond. After he became disabled and spent his time at home he started making things with beads. His specialty was beaded Christmas trees. He made over 200 Christmas trees that he gave to family and friends and nurses and doctors. Most of all he loved his family. He was working when his kids were growing up but he sure got to enjoy time with the grandkids. He loved the Lord and gave him all the praise for bringing him through all his surgeries. He was a tall handsome man with a larger-than-life personality. He will be greatly missed by his wife Dorothy and all his family.

Visitation will be noon to 8:00 pm, Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at the Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home. The family will be present from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Funeral Services will be 10:00 am, Thursday, September 19, 2024, at the Rabbs Creek Baptist Church with Rev. Brian Keeth officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Talala.

He is survived by his wife: Dorothy Benge of the Home. 4 children: Clydette Brumley and her husband Art of Barnsdall, OK, Joann Winzeburg and her husband Mark of Jennings, OK, Melinda Tolbart of Talala and Sham McCreary and his wife Rhonda of Talala. 1 sister: Judy Allison of Hulbert, OK. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by 2 sons: Ross Benge and Rodney McCreary, 2 brothers: Theodore Benge and Joe Benge and 4 sisters: Lucile Edwards, Louise Biggs, Jimmie Huff and Saundra Simmons.

Services are under the direction of Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home.