ENJAMIN FRANKLIN "Ben" BLAND
JULY 19, 1915--AUGUST 21,1996
By Alice Bland Napier (daughter)
My dad, Benjamin Franklin Bland, was a man of many interest; he was a natural leader and a respected teacher and school administrator.
He grew up in the Orange/Beaumont area; spent many of his years in Edinburg, Texas; and moved to Seguin, Texas in November 1992.
He always loved sports. He played several sports when he was young, including basketball and softball. In his early teaching career he coached several sports, and in his later years he watched many games on television. As a young man he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and for a number of years he very much enjoyed bowling and playing golf.
He had a positive influence on many young men during his years as a Boy Scout leader.
For some time he was very active in the Lion's Club, serving as the local president and participating in many of the local fund raisers.
He was a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge and the Commandry. He was a fifty year + member of Hidalgo Lodge No. 1036. His highest honor in Masonry was being appointed District Deputy Grand Master of District 40-B.
Daddy was a "bird man;" Many years ago he raised parakeets and other exotic birds as a hobby, and in his later years he greatly enjoyed the purple martins who came each year to inhabit one of his martin houses and spend the spring with him.
He loved to sing and at one time had a very good singing voice; he even sang in some of the productions of the Beaumont Light Opera Society. When we kids were young, he would entertain himself and us on long road trips by teaching us many songs and then singing with us for hours. In his later years he listened to the music by the hour on his stereo.
He attended Lamar University when it was a junior college and then transferred to the University of Texas. He was a Texas Longhorn and proud of it!!! He graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1938, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and education. He continued his education and earned a Masters Degree from the University of Houston in School Administration. He served the Texas schools for forty years, first as a teacher and then as a school administrator for many years.
Daddy loved literature and was an avid reader, passing on his love of reading to both his children and grandchildren. He especially loved reading and studying his Bible, and in his later years one of his greatest joys was attending Sunday School and discussing the Bible with his friends in his Sunday School class.
Daddy was a wonderful story teller and even wrote and told personalized stories for and about each of his five grandsons. The boys were delighted to hear the stories he wrote for them since they were always the heroes.
His hobbies were many and varied, and each time he got a new hobby, he pursued it with fervency! In addition to those already mentioned, he raised tropical fish for several years, and while he was breeding exotic birds, he judged at bird shows throughout the United States.
In about 1978 he became interested in piecing quilts and went on in the next 18 years to make over two hundred quilt tops, most of which he gave to family and friends.
Daddy entered the computer age in about 1986 or 1987 when we kids gave him an Apple II as a gift. He spent many hours playing computer games, corresponding with friends, typing up favorite poems and recipes for Mama, and recording the information he gathered on his family and Mom's family.
He was proud of being a Bland and a Peveto, and in his last few year she attended two national Bland family reunions, sharing his research with others wanting to know more about his branch of the family.
He was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.
Ben's parents were Lender Lee Bland Sr. and Octavia Alice Peveto Bland.
Survivors include his wife, Merle Bland; one son David Mahan Bland; two daughters, Mary Jean Blundell and Margaret Alice Napier; and five grandchildren.
JULY 19, 1915--AUGUST 21,1996
By Alice Bland Napier (daughter)
My dad, Benjamin Franklin Bland, was a man of many interest; he was a natural leader and a respected teacher and school administrator.
He grew up in the Orange/Beaumont area; spent many of his years in Edinburg, Texas; and moved to Seguin, Texas in November 1992.
He always loved sports. He played several sports when he was young, including basketball and softball. In his early teaching career he coached several sports, and in his later years he watched many games on television. As a young man he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and for a number of years he very much enjoyed bowling and playing golf.
He had a positive influence on many young men during his years as a Boy Scout leader.
For some time he was very active in the Lion's Club, serving as the local president and participating in many of the local fund raisers.
He was a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge and the Commandry. He was a fifty year + member of Hidalgo Lodge No. 1036. His highest honor in Masonry was being appointed District Deputy Grand Master of District 40-B.
Daddy was a "bird man;" Many years ago he raised parakeets and other exotic birds as a hobby, and in his later years he greatly enjoyed the purple martins who came each year to inhabit one of his martin houses and spend the spring with him.
He loved to sing and at one time had a very good singing voice; he even sang in some of the productions of the Beaumont Light Opera Society. When we kids were young, he would entertain himself and us on long road trips by teaching us many songs and then singing with us for hours. In his later years he listened to the music by the hour on his stereo.
He attended Lamar University when it was a junior college and then transferred to the University of Texas. He was a Texas Longhorn and proud of it!!! He graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1938, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and education. He continued his education and earned a Masters Degree from the University of Houston in School Administration. He served the Texas schools for forty years, first as a teacher and then as a school administrator for many years.
Daddy loved literature and was an avid reader, passing on his love of reading to both his children and grandchildren. He especially loved reading and studying his Bible, and in his later years one of his greatest joys was attending Sunday School and discussing the Bible with his friends in his Sunday School class.
Daddy was a wonderful story teller and even wrote and told personalized stories for and about each of his five grandsons. The boys were delighted to hear the stories he wrote for them since they were always the heroes.
His hobbies were many and varied, and each time he got a new hobby, he pursued it with fervency! In addition to those already mentioned, he raised tropical fish for several years, and while he was breeding exotic birds, he judged at bird shows throughout the United States.
In about 1978 he became interested in piecing quilts and went on in the next 18 years to make over two hundred quilt tops, most of which he gave to family and friends.
Daddy entered the computer age in about 1986 or 1987 when we kids gave him an Apple II as a gift. He spent many hours playing computer games, corresponding with friends, typing up favorite poems and recipes for Mama, and recording the information he gathered on his family and Mom's family.
He was proud of being a Bland and a Peveto, and in his last few year she attended two national Bland family reunions, sharing his research with others wanting to know more about his branch of the family.
He was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.
Ben's parents were Lender Lee Bland Sr. and Octavia Alice Peveto Bland.
Survivors include his wife, Merle Bland; one son David Mahan Bland; two daughters, Mary Jean Blundell and Margaret Alice Napier; and five grandchildren.
ENJAMIN FRANKLIN "Ben" BLAND
JULY 19, 1915--AUGUST 21,1996
By Alice Bland Napier (daughter)
My dad, Benjamin Franklin Bland, was a man of many interest; he was a natural leader and a respected teacher and school administrator.
He grew up in the Orange/Beaumont area; spent many of his years in Edinburg, Texas; and moved to Seguin, Texas in November 1992.
He always loved sports. He played several sports when he was young, including basketball and softball. In his early teaching career he coached several sports, and in his later years he watched many games on television. As a young man he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and for a number of years he very much enjoyed bowling and playing golf.
He had a positive influence on many young men during his years as a Boy Scout leader.
For some time he was very active in the Lion's Club, serving as the local president and participating in many of the local fund raisers.
He was a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge and the Commandry. He was a fifty year + member of Hidalgo Lodge No. 1036. His highest honor in Masonry was being appointed District Deputy Grand Master of District 40-B.
Daddy was a "bird man;" Many years ago he raised parakeets and other exotic birds as a hobby, and in his later years he greatly enjoyed the purple martins who came each year to inhabit one of his martin houses and spend the spring with him.
He loved to sing and at one time had a very good singing voice; he even sang in some of the productions of the Beaumont Light Opera Society. When we kids were young, he would entertain himself and us on long road trips by teaching us many songs and then singing with us for hours. In his later years he listened to the music by the hour on his stereo.
He attended Lamar University when it was a junior college and then transferred to the University of Texas. He was a Texas Longhorn and proud of it!!! He graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1938, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and education. He continued his education and earned a Masters Degree from the University of Houston in School Administration. He served the Texas schools for forty years, first as a teacher and then as a school administrator for many years.
Daddy loved literature and was an avid reader, passing on his love of reading to both his children and grandchildren. He especially loved reading and studying his Bible, and in his later years one of his greatest joys was attending Sunday School and discussing the Bible with his friends in his Sunday School class.
Daddy was a wonderful story teller and even wrote and told personalized stories for and about each of his five grandsons. The boys were delighted to hear the stories he wrote for them since they were always the heroes.
His hobbies were many and varied, and each time he got a new hobby, he pursued it with fervency! In addition to those already mentioned, he raised tropical fish for several years, and while he was breeding exotic birds, he judged at bird shows throughout the United States.
In about 1978 he became interested in piecing quilts and went on in the next 18 years to make over two hundred quilt tops, most of which he gave to family and friends.
Daddy entered the computer age in about 1986 or 1987 when we kids gave him an Apple II as a gift. He spent many hours playing computer games, corresponding with friends, typing up favorite poems and recipes for Mama, and recording the information he gathered on his family and Mom's family.
He was proud of being a Bland and a Peveto, and in his last few year she attended two national Bland family reunions, sharing his research with others wanting to know more about his branch of the family.
He was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.
Ben's parents were Lender Lee Bland Sr. and Octavia Alice Peveto Bland.
Survivors include his wife, Merle Bland; one son David Mahan Bland; two daughters, Mary Jean Blundell and Margaret Alice Napier; and five grandchildren.
JULY 19, 1915--AUGUST 21,1996
By Alice Bland Napier (daughter)
My dad, Benjamin Franklin Bland, was a man of many interest; he was a natural leader and a respected teacher and school administrator.
He grew up in the Orange/Beaumont area; spent many of his years in Edinburg, Texas; and moved to Seguin, Texas in November 1992.
He always loved sports. He played several sports when he was young, including basketball and softball. In his early teaching career he coached several sports, and in his later years he watched many games on television. As a young man he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and for a number of years he very much enjoyed bowling and playing golf.
He had a positive influence on many young men during his years as a Boy Scout leader.
For some time he was very active in the Lion's Club, serving as the local president and participating in many of the local fund raisers.
He was a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge and the Commandry. He was a fifty year + member of Hidalgo Lodge No. 1036. His highest honor in Masonry was being appointed District Deputy Grand Master of District 40-B.
Daddy was a "bird man;" Many years ago he raised parakeets and other exotic birds as a hobby, and in his later years he greatly enjoyed the purple martins who came each year to inhabit one of his martin houses and spend the spring with him.
He loved to sing and at one time had a very good singing voice; he even sang in some of the productions of the Beaumont Light Opera Society. When we kids were young, he would entertain himself and us on long road trips by teaching us many songs and then singing with us for hours. In his later years he listened to the music by the hour on his stereo.
He attended Lamar University when it was a junior college and then transferred to the University of Texas. He was a Texas Longhorn and proud of it!!! He graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1938, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and education. He continued his education and earned a Masters Degree from the University of Houston in School Administration. He served the Texas schools for forty years, first as a teacher and then as a school administrator for many years.
Daddy loved literature and was an avid reader, passing on his love of reading to both his children and grandchildren. He especially loved reading and studying his Bible, and in his later years one of his greatest joys was attending Sunday School and discussing the Bible with his friends in his Sunday School class.
Daddy was a wonderful story teller and even wrote and told personalized stories for and about each of his five grandsons. The boys were delighted to hear the stories he wrote for them since they were always the heroes.
His hobbies were many and varied, and each time he got a new hobby, he pursued it with fervency! In addition to those already mentioned, he raised tropical fish for several years, and while he was breeding exotic birds, he judged at bird shows throughout the United States.
In about 1978 he became interested in piecing quilts and went on in the next 18 years to make over two hundred quilt tops, most of which he gave to family and friends.
Daddy entered the computer age in about 1986 or 1987 when we kids gave him an Apple II as a gift. He spent many hours playing computer games, corresponding with friends, typing up favorite poems and recipes for Mama, and recording the information he gathered on his family and Mom's family.
He was proud of being a Bland and a Peveto, and in his last few year she attended two national Bland family reunions, sharing his research with others wanting to know more about his branch of the family.
He was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.
Ben's parents were Lender Lee Bland Sr. and Octavia Alice Peveto Bland.
Survivors include his wife, Merle Bland; one son David Mahan Bland; two daughters, Mary Jean Blundell and Margaret Alice Napier; and five grandchildren.
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