Ben Lempa
Ben Lempa, our Pops, 86, was born on March 1, 1930. He passed away peacefully on July 23, 2016, at his home with his family by his side.
Ben grew up on a farm where he learned his strong work ethic. He served four years in the United States Air Force at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. After the military, he worked for Caldwell County, J. D. Lay in the oil fields, and he
loved working for Mr. Ernest Ewald. He then settled into a 30-year career with the US Postal Service.
He met and married Lucille Joseph Lempa in 1964. They moved to Austin in 1970 to raise their family. After retirement, he went back to his roots raising cattle on his brother’s land in Lockhart.
He loved old country music, western movies, and news/political talk shows. Because of his background with farming and ranching, he kept up to date with the weather. He also loved his prized pecan trees.
Ben was so many things to us. He was honest to a fault, inquisitive, helpful and loved a good story. He was truthful, had good judgement, hard-working and dedicated to his family. He was known by his family and friends to have an extraordinary memory.
Ben was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille Lempa; parents, Joe and Adela Lempa; brothers, Conrad Lempa and Wincent Lempa; and sisters, Mildred Harris and Margaret Krzywonski.
He is survived by his three children Leslie (Michael Van Straten), of Austin, Rodney Lempa, of Austin, and Diane Eargle (James), of Round Rock; and his beloved granddaughter, Ashlee Eargle. He is also survived by niece, Debbi Childress (George), of The Woodlands; great-niece Hollie Meador (Todd) and their children, Micah and Anothen, of Manor; sisters, Loraine Reese, of Austin, Sallie Rosenbusch and Josephine Krzywonski, of San Antonio, and Rose Colby, of Cantonment, Fla., along with numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank New Century Hospice of Austin, Texas for the wonderful care and advice they gave our dad.
A visitation will be held at McCurdy Funeral Home on Thursday, July 28, 2016 from 9 a.m. until the departure for Polonia Cemetery at 11 a.m. We will have a procession from McCurdy Funeral home to Polonia Cemetery for graveside services.
Arrangements under the care and guidance of McCurdy Funeral Home, 105 E. Pecan, Lockhart, Texas 78644
Dear Pops,
I hope you are walking in the fields of Heaven with GG and all of your departed loved ones — feeling happy, healthy, and pain-free. I am so grateful to have had you as my main father figure in my life and thank you for having me. Really learned so much from you. There are so many things that when I see them from here on out that will remind me of you — cattle in fields, hay, tractors, metro and railroad trains, mail trucks, postmen, weather reports, weather in general, pecan trees, donuts, peanut brittle, old barrel barbeque pits, car engines (you used to check my engine before I would leave), Toyotas (you got us hooked on them with your Carina), sweet 1015 onions, corn flakes, cheerios, home grown cucumbers and tomatoes, Bonanza, Matlock, Gunsmoke, Merle Haggard, politics, and on and on and on……
You have left behind three wonderful testaments to your presence here on Earth in Leslie, Diane and Rodney. You and GG raised good, caring, honorable, loving, devoted kids, who did such a truly remarkable job is taking care of you and GG. They were your Angels on Earth, and now you and GG are their Angels in Heaven.
We will miss and love you always, and will forever remember all of our good times on Elm Street, Ash Street, Main Street, and Delafield Lane. Time may pass but our love and memories will not. Rest In Peace Pops.
Love,
Debbi
God took the strength of a mountain.
The majesty of a tree.
The warmth of a summer sun.
The calm of a quiet sea.
The generous soul of nature.
The comforting arm of night.
The wisdom of the ages.
The power of the eagle’s flight.
The joy of a morning in spring.
The faith of a mustard seed.
The patience of eternity.
The depth of a family need.
Then God combined these qualities.
When there was nothing more to add.
He knew His masterpiece was complete.
And so, He called it…Dad.
We love you and miss you every day.