Benjamin "Bennie" Wilhelm Stehr

A Memorial Service for Dr. Bennie W. Stehr, 88, Clinton resident will be held at 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, December 17, 2014 in the First Church of God, officiated by Rev. Roy Dobbs. A private burial will be held at a later in Tula Cemetery in Oxford, Mississippi. Benjamin "Bennie" Wilhelm Stehr was born March 10, 1926 to Fred and Karolina (Steigman) Stehr in Bessie, OK and passed away Thursday, December 11, 2014 in the Grace Living Center in Clinton, OK. Bennie was raised in the Bessie and Clinton area. He attended Bessie schools until its closing during his junior year. He continued his senior year in Clinton and graduated from Clinton High School in 1942 at the age of 16. He moved to California and tried to join the Army but they would not accept him because of his age. He returned to Clinton and joined the Army in 1946 and served during WWII. While a young man he was the projectionist at the Ritz theatre. He became a master at knowing who starred in movies and when they were produced and holds around four thousand copies of different movies. He holds a bachelor degree in business education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, a master's degree from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN and a doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado. He was married to Mary Good on September 28, 1947 in East St. Louis, IL and she preceded him death in 1977 and he later married Allegra Peterson on July 9, 1978. Allegra preceded him in death in 2005. He met a lady friend Eva Tommie Baker, and they enjoyed each other's company until her death. He has been a college and university teacher of business at the Cameron State University (Cameron State Agricultural College), University of Northern Colorado, University of Guam, Marshall University, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Mississippi. He has co-authored of two college textbooks in business teacher education. He was awarded the honor of Outstanding Business Educator of the Year for state of Mississippi in 1981 and in 1984 he received the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a business executive or educator involved in marketing education in Mississippi; Honorary life Membership in Mississippi DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America). He is preceded in death by a infant brother, Alvin Stehr and Louie Stehr. He is a member of the First Church of God, and the American Legion. He is survived by his daughter, Donna Kay Stehr, of Meridian, Mississippi, a sister, WanitaSawatzky, of Cordell and two brothers, Norman Stehr and his wife, Charlotte and Freddie Stehr and his wife, Jaree and Norman Stehr and his wife, Charlotte of Clinton. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. In the lou of flowers donation can be made to the First Church of God or Friends for Life Animal Shelter.