Carl Andrew tenBensel

Carl Andrew tenBensel

Dec. 25, 1923 - March 25, 2018

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- Carl Andrew tenBensel, age 94, of Cambridge, Neb., went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 25, 2018, at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Carl tenBensel was born on Dec. 25, 1923, to Henry J. and Millie (Thomson) tenBensel near Cambridge, Neb., on the family farm. Carl was the fifth oldest of 10 children to Henry J. and Millie (Thompson) tenBensel.

Carl graduated from Cambridge High School in 1941. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on Jan. 10, 1946, and was Honorably Discharged on April 10, 1947.

On Oct. 23, 1949 he was united in marriage to Ella Rea Smith. The couple celebrated their 68th Anniversary in 2017.

Carl spent nearly all of his 94 years working, many of which were on the farm. After retirement, he and Ella Rea took meals to the field for the workers. He lived a full life. Carl was picking corn by hand with a team of horses at nine. He was 89, when his twin grandkids were born. Most recently, he loved spending time and playing catch with his twin grandchildren.

He enjoyed riding horses, training them until he was 82. He used his God-given gift to help 4H kids for more than 40 years. Either training horses, or hauling them and their horses to horse shows as a gift to the 4Her and their family. Some 4H kids have called Carl their third grandpa, while others call him a second dad.

Although in pain, he was known for being joyful and caring, and his physical and inner strength saw him through until the end. He always carried a smile on his face.

Carl received Christ as his savior several years ago.

Carl was preceded in death by three brothers: Richard and his wife Joanne; Ernest and his wife Alvie, Roy and his wife Betty; three sisters: Golda tenBensel; Ethel Yeager; Ruth Reilly; sister-in-law JoAnn tenBensel; brother-in-law: Darrell Palmer.

Carl is survived by his wife Ella Rea tenBensel, daughter Ginger tenBensel, sons Jan tenBensel and his wife Jodi, and Mark tenBensel and his wife Jackie, grandchildren Bethany; Gavin and Reese tenBensel, brother Paul tenBensel, and sisters June Palmer and Joyce Ross.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 31, 2018, at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Cambridge with Keith Theobald officiating. Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Cambridge. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Thursday March 29, 2018, and on Friday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present on Friday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Friends may leave on line condolences at lockenour.com. Memorials may be left in Carl's name at the Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge.