Benny Leroy Rath, 86, peacefully passed away at home, surrounded by family, on 07-08-2020, after a short battle with cancer.
Memorial services for Benny will be held at Bismarck Funeral Home, 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. in Mandan at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. The service will be live streamed and posted to the Bismarck Funeral Home & Crematory Facebook page.
Benny was born January 20 th , 1934, to Bill and Anna Marie (Pleinis) in Wing, ND. As a young man he worked on various neighboring ranches. He shared fond memories of the ranches; especially, the Allan Whitman Ranch.
Benny married Luella Aichele at the Sterling United Methodist Church on June 10, 1956. In October of 1956, he was drafted and served in Korea. He was always very proud of his military service. Upon returning home from Korea, they had four sons: Kevin; Kent; Kurt; and Kip. They lived and raised their family in Sterling.
Over the years, Benny started and ran many businesses which included hauling milk and selling milking equipment. He was a cement contractor. He owned and operated his own semi for twenty years hauling cattle and grain. He also drove a school bus. After retirement, he enjoyed mowing lawns. Benny liked working with horses and animals. He taught all four sons and some of the grandchildren how to ride a horse. There were always horses around the farm. He raised sheep for several years. He took his grandchildren on many adventures; such as, fishing, getting them in an airplane for the first time, and sightseeing unusual places in the area. He regularly visited the Sterling truck stop where he would share a cup of coffee and conversation with the neighborhood retirees or anyone up for a friendly visit.
Benny is survived by his four sons and two daughters-in-law: Kevin and Meg, Kip and Linda, Kent (Jaci Simpson), Sterling; and Kurt, Henryetta, OK; eight grandchildren: Nicole (Blaine) Stuhlmiller, Zach (Kaitlyn Binstock) Rath, Andrea Blasingame, Adalynn Rath, Bo (Holly) Rath, Bethany (Emitt) Klaassen, Brittany Rath and Luke Rath; two great grandchildren: Kylin Winterberg and Landen Stuhlmiller; sisters: Irene Rath, Bismarck; and Leona Jones, Pratt, KS; brothers- in-law: Bernell Aichele (Mary Ann Eisenbarth), Bismarck; Lee Aichele, Sterling; sisters-in-law: Bev Aichele, Bismarck; Shirley (Ron) Hankel, Lamoure; Jo Ellen Aichele, Steele; Jean Aichele, Driscoll; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Anna Marie Rath; stepmother, Rachel Rath; love of his life, wife, Luella in 2019; brothers and their wives, Clifford (Carol), Alvin (Judy), and Harold (Charlotte) Rath; sister, Marie (Martin) Renschler; brothers-in-law, Jerry Buck, LeRoy, Floyd, and Glen Aichele, and sister-in-law, Evelyn Aichele.
The family would like to thank Sanford Hospice, for the compassionate care that Benny received. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. You may sign the online guestbook or leave a message for the family at www.bismarckfuneralhome.com .
To view the Funeral Service for Benny Rath, please click here .