Benjamin Garland Myers was born May 17, 1927, in Texarkana, Texas, to the union of Benjamin Mark Myers and Bertha Langston Myers. Ben was the second of three children.
He accepted the Lord Jesus and was baptized as a child. He united in Holy Matrimony with Connie Rochell Dillard on June 28, 1997, in Champaign.
Mr. Myers was a member of Salem Baptist Church for 23 years where he received the "Celebrating Timeless Wisdom" award in 2016. He made his transition into eternal life on Friday (Jan. 20, 2017).
He leaves to grieve his wife, Connie Dillard Myers; his sister, Jane Myers Lewis; his daughter, Desiree Yvette Myers "Boo-Boo"; two grandsons; three nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents; his first wife, Marguerita D. Wesley Myers; his sister, Bertha Casper Myers Crompton and his niece, Janice Crompton.
Mr. Myers graduated from Dunbar High School in 1945, where he was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He went on to attend Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, and was later drafted into the U.S. Army (Air Force) where he served over 20 years, rising to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He earned numerous military awards including but not limited to: appointment to Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Committee in 1956; NCO Counsel in 1960; and by special order of the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, he was awarded the Combat Readiness Medal for meritorious service in 1966. He retired from the military on March 1, 1966, from George AFB, Victorville, California.
After retiring from the U.S. Air Force and returning to Champaign, Mr. Myers started working for Magnavox and then move to the U.S. Postal Service, where he earned an Unusual Achievement Award for Operation Teamwork. He later worked for Orkin Pest Control, where he earned salesmen of the year in 1976. He retired in June 1989 from Quantum Chemical/Equistar in Tuscola.
Mr. Myers volunteered many hours of service in the community including Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County, and Empty Tomb, Inc., where he worked with the Adopt-A-Project and the Home Maintenance Committee. He also volunteered many years of service at both his church homes in Texarkana, Texas, and at Salem Baptist Church in Champaign, where he was on the Membership and Outreach committee, chaired the Family and Friends Day committee for over five years. He was also a faithful member of the Salem Baptist Church Men's Sunday School.
Mr. Myers was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers; the American Legion, and the Veterans' of Foreign War (VFW).
Mr. Myers was an avid golfer. He loved fishing, hunting, watching old Humphrey Bogart movies and listening to classic R&B music.
He will be missed by many including all of his in-laws - brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and cousins; friends and fellow church members, students, adoptive family members and other community members whom he served alongside. He will also be missed by his two Shih-Tzu dogs, Mr. Sparkle and Ms. Midnight.
News-Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
He accepted the Lord Jesus and was baptized as a child. He united in Holy Matrimony with Connie Rochell Dillard on June 28, 1997, in Champaign.
Mr. Myers was a member of Salem Baptist Church for 23 years where he received the "Celebrating Timeless Wisdom" award in 2016. He made his transition into eternal life on Friday (Jan. 20, 2017).
He leaves to grieve his wife, Connie Dillard Myers; his sister, Jane Myers Lewis; his daughter, Desiree Yvette Myers "Boo-Boo"; two grandsons; three nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents; his first wife, Marguerita D. Wesley Myers; his sister, Bertha Casper Myers Crompton and his niece, Janice Crompton.
Mr. Myers graduated from Dunbar High School in 1945, where he was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He went on to attend Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, and was later drafted into the U.S. Army (Air Force) where he served over 20 years, rising to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He earned numerous military awards including but not limited to: appointment to Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Committee in 1956; NCO Counsel in 1960; and by special order of the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, he was awarded the Combat Readiness Medal for meritorious service in 1966. He retired from the military on March 1, 1966, from George AFB, Victorville, California.
After retiring from the U.S. Air Force and returning to Champaign, Mr. Myers started working for Magnavox and then move to the U.S. Postal Service, where he earned an Unusual Achievement Award for Operation Teamwork. He later worked for Orkin Pest Control, where he earned salesmen of the year in 1976. He retired in June 1989 from Quantum Chemical/Equistar in Tuscola.
Mr. Myers volunteered many hours of service in the community including Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County, and Empty Tomb, Inc., where he worked with the Adopt-A-Project and the Home Maintenance Committee. He also volunteered many years of service at both his church homes in Texarkana, Texas, and at Salem Baptist Church in Champaign, where he was on the Membership and Outreach committee, chaired the Family and Friends Day committee for over five years. He was also a faithful member of the Salem Baptist Church Men's Sunday School.
Mr. Myers was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers; the American Legion, and the Veterans' of Foreign War (VFW).
Mr. Myers was an avid golfer. He loved fishing, hunting, watching old Humphrey Bogart movies and listening to classic R&B music.
He will be missed by many including all of his in-laws - brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and cousins; friends and fellow church members, students, adoptive family members and other community members whom he served alongside. He will also be missed by his two Shih-Tzu dogs, Mr. Sparkle and Ms. Midnight.
News-Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
Benjamin Garland Myers was born May 17, 1927, in Texarkana, Texas, to the union of Benjamin Mark Myers and Bertha Langston Myers. Ben was the second of three children.
He accepted the Lord Jesus and was baptized as a child. He united in Holy Matrimony with Connie Rochell Dillard on June 28, 1997, in Champaign.
Mr. Myers was a member of Salem Baptist Church for 23 years where he received the "Celebrating Timeless Wisdom" award in 2016. He made his transition into eternal life on Friday (Jan. 20, 2017).
He leaves to grieve his wife, Connie Dillard Myers; his sister, Jane Myers Lewis; his daughter, Desiree Yvette Myers "Boo-Boo"; two grandsons; three nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents; his first wife, Marguerita D. Wesley Myers; his sister, Bertha Casper Myers Crompton and his niece, Janice Crompton.
Mr. Myers graduated from Dunbar High School in 1945, where he was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He went on to attend Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, and was later drafted into the U.S. Army (Air Force) where he served over 20 years, rising to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He earned numerous military awards including but not limited to: appointment to Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Committee in 1956; NCO Counsel in 1960; and by special order of the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, he was awarded the Combat Readiness Medal for meritorious service in 1966. He retired from the military on March 1, 1966, from George AFB, Victorville, California.
After retiring from the U.S. Air Force and returning to Champaign, Mr. Myers started working for Magnavox and then move to the U.S. Postal Service, where he earned an Unusual Achievement Award for Operation Teamwork. He later worked for Orkin Pest Control, where he earned salesmen of the year in 1976. He retired in June 1989 from Quantum Chemical/Equistar in Tuscola.
Mr. Myers volunteered many hours of service in the community including Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County, and Empty Tomb, Inc., where he worked with the Adopt-A-Project and the Home Maintenance Committee. He also volunteered many years of service at both his church homes in Texarkana, Texas, and at Salem Baptist Church in Champaign, where he was on the Membership and Outreach committee, chaired the Family and Friends Day committee for over five years. He was also a faithful member of the Salem Baptist Church Men's Sunday School.
Mr. Myers was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers; the American Legion, and the Veterans' of Foreign War (VFW).
Mr. Myers was an avid golfer. He loved fishing, hunting, watching old Humphrey Bogart movies and listening to classic R&B music.
He will be missed by many including all of his in-laws - brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and cousins; friends and fellow church members, students, adoptive family members and other community members whom he served alongside. He will also be missed by his two Shih-Tzu dogs, Mr. Sparkle and Ms. Midnight.
News-Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
He accepted the Lord Jesus and was baptized as a child. He united in Holy Matrimony with Connie Rochell Dillard on June 28, 1997, in Champaign.
Mr. Myers was a member of Salem Baptist Church for 23 years where he received the "Celebrating Timeless Wisdom" award in 2016. He made his transition into eternal life on Friday (Jan. 20, 2017).
He leaves to grieve his wife, Connie Dillard Myers; his sister, Jane Myers Lewis; his daughter, Desiree Yvette Myers "Boo-Boo"; two grandsons; three nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents; his first wife, Marguerita D. Wesley Myers; his sister, Bertha Casper Myers Crompton and his niece, Janice Crompton.
Mr. Myers graduated from Dunbar High School in 1945, where he was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He went on to attend Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, and was later drafted into the U.S. Army (Air Force) where he served over 20 years, rising to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He earned numerous military awards including but not limited to: appointment to Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Committee in 1956; NCO Counsel in 1960; and by special order of the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, he was awarded the Combat Readiness Medal for meritorious service in 1966. He retired from the military on March 1, 1966, from George AFB, Victorville, California.
After retiring from the U.S. Air Force and returning to Champaign, Mr. Myers started working for Magnavox and then move to the U.S. Postal Service, where he earned an Unusual Achievement Award for Operation Teamwork. He later worked for Orkin Pest Control, where he earned salesmen of the year in 1976. He retired in June 1989 from Quantum Chemical/Equistar in Tuscola.
Mr. Myers volunteered many hours of service in the community including Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County, and Empty Tomb, Inc., where he worked with the Adopt-A-Project and the Home Maintenance Committee. He also volunteered many years of service at both his church homes in Texarkana, Texas, and at Salem Baptist Church in Champaign, where he was on the Membership and Outreach committee, chaired the Family and Friends Day committee for over five years. He was also a faithful member of the Salem Baptist Church Men's Sunday School.
Mr. Myers was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers; the American Legion, and the Veterans' of Foreign War (VFW).
Mr. Myers was an avid golfer. He loved fishing, hunting, watching old Humphrey Bogart movies and listening to classic R&B music.
He will be missed by many including all of his in-laws - brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and cousins; friends and fellow church members, students, adoptive family members and other community members whom he served alongside. He will also be missed by his two Shih-Tzu dogs, Mr. Sparkle and Ms. Midnight.
News-Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
