Bennie’s Obituary Bennie Lee Woolley was born December 1, 1940 in Clayton, NM to Big Bill and Gabe Woolley (Arthur Ray and Gabrella (Crill)). He was welcomed at home in Gladstone by brothers, Jim and Bill John and sister Bettie Jo. Ben attended Farley School, grades 1 through 12 and graduated in 1959.
He was involved in basketball, track and field, local rodeos and 4-H. His family and he performed square dances on horseback at rodeos as well. Ben married Mary Ann Hephner, his high school sweetheart, on December 12, 1959.
They settled in the Gladstone and Farley area where Ben worked on various ranches. While in this area, 4 children were born: Bill, Michelle, Chip and Melissa. Ben and Ann moved to Kansas for a few years, and in 1969 they moved to Dalhart, Texas, where they lived the rest of his life.
Wildon was born into the family in Dalhart. Ben worked for Dalhart Feedyard-later Caprock- he ran a feedstore, and later worked for TDCJ where he retired in 2017. Throughout the years he raised cattle, bought and sold horses, anything that involved animals!
Ben and Ann owned racehorses that ran at LaMesa Park in Raton, NM. Whatever his kids wanted to do, Ben did his very best to see those dreams fulfilled. He was very involved with their stock shows, animal judging, rodeos, sports’ interests, or anything else they thought up.
There was never a better father or husband than Ben. He served on Bi-County Stock Show board for many years and was one of the founding members of the Buyer’s Club. He was always proud of his children’s achievements and loved to talk about them; one of his favorites being his son, Chip’s, training of Mine That Bird, the 135th Kentucky Derby winner.
Ben enjoyed traveling to the New Mexico State Fair, attending grandchildren’s events, and horseraces. The last several summers, he and Ann took week long vacations with their daughters. Ben visited Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2018 and said it was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen.
He was baptized into the Catholic Church on July 5, 2018. He diligently prayed every morning and evening and slept under the prayer blanket made for him by the Altar Society. Ben never met a stranger and always shook their hand.
You sure knew if you had shaken his hand. Ben was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings. He departed this earth February 3, 2019, at BSA Hospice of the Southwest in Amarillo, TX following a 1 ½ year battle with cancer.
Ben is survived by his loving wife, Ann, of the home; son Bill of Dalhart; daughter Michelle Potter, and husband Alan, Elk City, OK; son Chip, El Paso, NM; daughter Melissa Prather, and husband David, Boise City, OK; Wildon and wife Rebekah, Canyon, TX. Thirteen grandchildren: Nancy Potter, Natasha Lavato and husband Brandon, Chance Woolley and wife Theresa, Ray Bill Woolley, Jillian Prather, Duke Potter, Whitlea Mason and husband J.R., Zach Prather, Samantha Prather, Francis Potter, Ben Woolley, Wildon J. “Pistol” Woolley, and Keira Woolley and seven great grandchildren. He was a loving brother-in-law to Jean McConnell, Effie Walker, Pat Podzemny, John Hephner, and Anthony Hephner for 59 years.
He shared a special relationship with his sister’s children Joe and Jim Langdon and Shaun Langdon Wink and a large number of other nieces and nephews. Prayer Vigil – 7:00 pm Wednesday, February 6, 2019 St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Dalhart, Texas Mass 10:00 am Thursday, February , 2019 St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Dalhart, Texas Burial in Clayton Memorial Cemetery, Clayton, NM In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Ben’s name to the American Cancer Society or BSA Hospice of the Southwest.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
