Obituary of Fred Junior Bender

Fred Junior Bender, 67, passed away Thursday, July 25, 2019. He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Judy Latimer Bender; and brother, Roger Bender. Left to cherish his memory are his mother, Irene Castleberry; daughters, Bonnie Collins and husband, Brandon, Jenni Yancey and husband, James; brothers, Don Bender and wife, Diane, Stan Bender, Wesley House; sister, Patty House; grandchildren, Averie Yancey, Audrey Collins, Chloe Yancey, Lincoln Collins, and Luke Yancey; and a host of other family and dear friends.

Fred was first and foremost a family man. He would tell you that his two greatest gifts in life were his girls, Bonnie and Jenni. When he graduated to “Papa Fred,” he found his new favorite role in caring for his grandchildren - Averie, Audrey, Chloe, Lincoln, and Luke. 

Fred was everyone’s “go-to” guy. He was always generous in every capacity and never met a stranger. Fred loved adventures whether it was video poker, cooking, skiing, boating, biking, fishing, or motorcycling. His favorite adventures were the trips he took with his brothers and life-long friends. He was also “Mr. Fix It.” He would fix anything that his friends and family could not figure out and prided himself on never hiring a repairman.

Fred was a Veteran who proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1971 to 1975 during the Vietnam War. He was a loyal Lyondell Bassell employee and contractor for too many years to count. He served from 1993 until 2019 as a volunteer member on the Board of Directors for Texas Bay Credit Union. During his tenure at the credit union, there was significant growth both in membership and in numbers of locations. 

Fred had an amazing sense of humor and could tell the best jokes with a straight face. He will forever be remembered for his positive attitude, for helping others in need, and for his strong loyalty and love for his family. He would always say, “The only thing standing between you and a good day is your attitude.” Fred will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. We know that Fred is in Heaven with Judy, and now Fred has truly been everywhere.

The visitation for Fred will be held Thursday, August 1, 2019 from 6:00 until 8:00 pm at Clayton Funeral Home – La Porte, at 201 South 3^rd Street, La Porte, Texas 77571. The funeral service will take place Friday, August 2, 2019 at 3:00 pm at Bayshore Baptist, 11315 Spencer Highway, La Porte, Texas 77571 with Pastor Tom Gamble officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at La Porte Cemetery in La Porte, Texas. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to REAL LIFE MINISTRIES TEXAS in memory of Fred Bender. Please mail checks to 1222 W Main St, Tomball, TX 77375 (in memo "Fred Bender, First Fruits") or donations can be given online at https://reallifetexas.churchcenter.com/giving (First Fruits).