Gelena Mae Benge

Gelena Mae (Holder) Benge, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, May 6, 2017 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was born March 22, 1929 in Paden, Oklahoma to Tom and Pearl (Newton) Holder. She graduated from Paden High School. She later met her husband, the late Alfred H. Benge, of Seminole. Al’s father soon told him to “marry that girl, you are spending too much money on gas!” The two were married shortly after on December 22, 1946, in Paden, OK.
Alfred attended the University of Oklahoma studying pharmacology, with Gelena by his side. After moving to Tulsa, they started a family with the adoption of their late son, Mark. In the 1960's, the Benge's purchased and began operating the Utica Square Pharmacy. Gelena always joked that she was the president, while Al was merely the vice-president and pharmacist. She truly enjoyed her role as the pharmacy's bookkeeper, a very tedious job in the world before modern technology.
She is a long time member of Bethany Free Will Baptist Church. Gelena always enjoyed a great meal, followed by an even better game of cards. She was part of a group that would attend dinner at the local Steak and Ale, every Thursday evening, followed by an intense game of Spades or Canasta.
She was preceded in death by parents, Tom and Pearl (Newton) Holder; husband, Alfred H. Benge; son, Mark Benge; and brothers, Sam Holder, Kenneth Holder, Charlie Holder, Bill Holder, John Holder, and Marvin Holder.
Survivors include her sisters, Pauline Clevenger of Seminole, Oklahoma and Irene Cannon of Prague, Oklahoma; pseudo-children, Brenda Trammell of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Linda Aycock of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Heather Ellis of Tulsa, Oklahoma; pseudo-grandchildren, Jason Aycock and wife, MariAnn of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Amanda Doty and husband, Corey of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Noah Ellis of Tulsa, Oklahoma; pseudo-great grandchildren, Rusty and Bradley Aycock; Many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She will be greatly missed.
Funeral Service will be Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 11:00am at Bethany Free Will Baptist Church in Broken Arrow with interment at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa. Arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt's Tulsa Funeral Service. Family and friends may send memories and condolences to the family, online at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com