Carl Benge

Carl Benge, age 82, of Manchester, Kentucky passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2022. He leaves behind his loving wife, Elsie Mae Bishop Benge; six children, Carl Byron Benge & wife Janice of Kissimmee, FL, Rebecca Delight Eubanks & husband Dallas “Bo” of Corbin, KY; Larry Welch & wife Missy, Brenda Aubury & husband Allen, Jeannie McGuffin & husband Vernie, Sharon Haune & husband Howard; one sister, Carol Ann Becknell; his sister-in-law, Patricia Asher; eight grandchildren, Carl Justin Benge, Denvil Chandler & wife Ashley, Jason Chandler & wife Amy, Jessica Grimes & husband Jamie, Candace Wilson & husband Jeff, Danielle Nantz & husband Brian, Dalton Eubanks, Derek Eubanks & fiancé Katelyn; thirteen great grandchildren, Brian Nantz & wife Olivia, Jeffery Laux, Byron Grimes, Charlie Grimes, Emma Wilson, Zella Chandler, Liam Chandler, Ayden Chandler, Malachi Wilson, Dallas Jane Nantz, Bailee Eubanks, Ollie Chandler, Olivia Chandler; one great, great grandchild, Beckham Nantz, plus a host of other grandchildren, family and friends to celebrate his life well lived. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 60 years, Deloris “Elaine” Patton Benge; and by his parents, Edd and Martha Pearl Cupp Benge. If you asked someone to describe Carl Benge you might hear things like, family man, farmer, hard worker, or store owner, but to us he was “Pa.” And while our Pa was all those things, he was so much more to each and every one of us. If you ask his kids or grandkids, you might hear things like, “He’s the toughest guy I know.” Let’s be honest, if you have a heart attack or stroke and drive yourself to the hospital, you’ve earned that title! You might hear stories about how he could out work any man half his age or memories of fishing, feeding birds, road trips with Patsy Cline, burn piles, whistling- so much whistling and “that type thing.” You might hear about being taught the value of a hard day’s work- whether it be at a grocery store, a tobacco field or cleaning up a rent house where he demonstrated how to properly clean up dog poop. You might even hear some words of wisdom passed down from our Pa, although some of it may have changed over the years. We heard things like, “Have a Pepsi!”, “Change your attitude!”, “Holding hands is special”, “Try all the flavors…”, “Wish in one hand…”, “Put some Comet on it!”, “Make the floors shine…”, “And stuff like that”. While we have many memories that can make us smile and laugh, we also have memories that allow us to be able to rejoice through our pain. We are here today to celebrate a life well lived and the legacy of this man God blessed us with. We will be eternally grateful for the gift God has given us in our Pa. All our lives we have witnessed his faith in God, his generosity towards others and his love for his family. None of us would be the people we are today if it weren’t for the example he lived in front of us each and every day. Our prayer is that we honor his memory and most of all our Heavenly Father as we do our best to carry out the legacy he has left behind. May we someday be remembered the same way we remember our Pa. We are thankful to know that in his absence from us, he is now present with our Lord. As Pa always said, “The best is yet to be.” I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7 A celebration of life service for Carl Benge will be held on Tuesday March 29, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Victory Baptist Church with Wayne House and Anthony Lovett officiating. Music will be provided by Daniel Carmack. The family has entrusted House-Rawlings Funeral Home with the arrangements.

Carl Benge

July 28, 1939 - March 24, 2022