Bennie Gajeske

Bennie Willie Gajeske, 87, of Brenham, died July 11, 2012 at Brenham Nursing and Rehab in Brenham. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 14, 2012 at Eben-Ezer Lutheran Church of Berlin with Lay Minister Ken Weiss officiating. Burial will follow at Prairie Lea Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 6 until 7:30 Friday evening at Memorial Oaks Chapel. Mr. Gajeske was born Nov. 30, 1924 in the Berlin community, Washington County, Texas, to William P. and Mary Hahn Gajeske. He was baptized April 13, 1925 at Eben-Ezer Lutheran Church of Berlin and was confirmed Sept. 4, 1938 at the same church. Mr. Gajeske served in the Army during World War II. He was part of the expedition force that was to invade Japan but was stopped by two atomic bombs. After his military service, he attended Blinn College. On Dec. 15, 1951, he married Elda Mertz at Salem Lutheran Church of Welcome. For more than 60 years, Mr. Gajeske worked for funeral homes opening and closing graves, and since 1975 he operated Gajeske Cemetery Service. He was also a cattle rancher. A member of Eben-Ezer Lutheran Church of Berlin, Mr. Gajeske served as sexton of the church cemetery and served on the church council. He loved his family, especially his grandson. He enjoyed baseball, particularly the Houston Astros. Mr. Gajeske was interviewed by Tumbleweed Smith for his radio program "The Sounds of Texas." He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Berlin-Mill Creek-Zionsville Volunteer Fire Department. Survivors include his wife, Elda Gajeske of Brenham; son and daughter-in-law, Ronnie D. and Cheryl Gajeske of Houston; daughter and son-in-law, Sherry L. and James Korth of Brenham; grandson, Aaron W. Gajeske; sister and brother-in-law, Bernice and Leon Luksa; brother-in-law, Delphine Schilling; and sister-in-law, Myrtle Winkelmann. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother and sister-in-law, T.W. and Bernice Gajeske; sisters and brothers-in-law, Hattie and Lonnie Schulz and Alice and Pete Nickle; sister-in-law, Gladys Schilling; and brother-in-law, Reinhard Winkelmann. Serving as pallbearers are Norman Winkelmann, Donald Winkelmann, Larry Schilling, Glen Schilling, Bobby Gajeske, and Michael Gajeske. Memorials may be given to Eben-Ezer Lutheran Church of Berlin or to Hospice Brazos Valley. Thank you to the dedicated staff of Hospice Brazos Valley, Brenham Rehabilitation, and Dr. Robert Haydon. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.