Pat Benge, 71, of Greenfield

Celebration of Life Services: Will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at The Gathering Place in Greenfield. Pastor Gary Freeland will officiate the service. The Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield is in charge of the professional arrangements. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at The Gathering Place in Greenfield from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Memorials: To the family to be established at a later date. 

Pat B. Benge was born in Winterset, Iowa, the son of Perry and Lois (Martin) Benge on September 23, 1953. He passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at his home in Greenfield, Iowa, at the age of 71.

He lived a typical ornery boys’ life. Shortly after graduation in 1971, he entered the Marine Corp. After boot camp as he told it he was standing at the wrong place in line and was headed to VietNam to become a Marine Grunt. After being honorably discharged he returned to Winterset and began working for Harvestore in the Adel office, then later transferred to the Elliott office, while there he lived in Griswold. He met Pam Alexander and her daughter Tiffany, over time they became a family and in October of 1984 Trevor Kyle was added. In 1987, they ended their relationship and Pat moved back to Winterset and began working at Parr Manufacturing. While at work he met Ronda Gebbie, they became a couple, for the first couple years and lived in Winterset and then moved to rural Greenfield where Ronda’s sons Kennie Jr. and Kasey along with Pat’s son Trevor came to live with Pat and Ronda. Pat and Ronda got married on February 12, 1994, and notice it is a date between hunting, trapping and fishing seasons. Pat switched jobs to Agri-Drain in Adair and later Gummy Bear in Creston. His last job was with the Family Resource Center in the Stuart office working with various special needs. He became known through the agency for his approach in handling members and their situations. He began a lot of first for the agency, but he is proudest of becoming a host family along with Ronda. He had several success stories, but three members touched his heart. He saw potential in them. 

His love for the outdoors hunting, fishing and trapping were his best times, be it teaching someone to fish and to catch that big old fish out of a river here in southwest Iowa or showing a kid how to handle a hunting weapon safely or retrieving a critter from a snare.

His greatest joy was being around kids, any kid he was like the Pied Piper at times. As he got older, he liked to watch old westerns on T.V., talking to his friends and loudly listening to his type of music from the 70's and 80’s. And he loved all his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Percy Benge; nephew, Brett Strable; brothers-in-law, Jim Mundell and Bob Ball; parents-in-law, Bruce and Kate Carl; brothers-in-law, Ed Carl, Doug Campbell and Mark Lundberg; niece, Shelly Wheatley; and nephew, Tim Wilson.

He is survived by his wife, Ronda Benge of Greenfield; son, Trevor Benge of Creston; stepsons, Kennie Jr. Gebbie and wife Amy of Greenfield and Kasey Gebbie of rural Dexter; sisters, Peggy Mundell of Waukee, Pam Brown and husband Gary of Winterset and Paula Ball of Winterset; 16 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sandy Lundberg of Des Moines; Linda Stewart and husband Eric of Greenfield, Roy Carl of Fontanelle, Ruth Eilts (Marlo Smith) of Massena, Di Mensing and husband Bruce of Greenfield and Roger Carl of Stuart; Pat’s honorary kids, Caidan Carl, Macie Hardee and Calvin Hammal along with 6 grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, other family and friends.