Benny D. Bourland, 87 of Effingham, passed away Monday morning, July 22, 2019 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon.

Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. Friday, July 26, 2019 at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham with burial in Oakridge Cemetery. Masonic Rites will be held at 5:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home, followed by visitation until 7:00 p.m.. Memorials may be given to an organization of the donor's choice.

Mr. Bourland was born January 31, 1932, in Xenia, Illinois, the son of AD (Hop) Bourland and Thelma Scott Bourland, He married Kathleen J. Keller January 13, 1951 in Corinth, Mississippi, and were happily married for 60 years. She died May 26, 2011. Mr. Bourland graduated from Effingham High School in 1950 and began working for Keller's Town & Country Furniture Store in Teutopolis. He and Kate worked together as owner and operator of the business until he retired January 31, 1996.

Benny enjoyed anything to do with being outdoors, he and Kate traveled in their Airstream trailer often going to OshKosh, Wisconsin to attend the EAA Air Show each year. He was a member of Cloudhoppers Flying Club/RC Sport Flyers in Effingham and enjoyed building and flying his planes. He loved to talk about historic events and often planned family vacations around visiting historic sites. Benny and Kate shared their love of family history and worked together in preserving the Bourland genealogy. Benny was a member for 60 years of Masonic Lodge 571 and was also a 32nd degree Mason.

Surviving are four children, ten grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. Children are Gayland (Shawn) Bourland of Effingham, Benjie (Dennis) Pardick of Gibson City, Marla Bourland of Effingham, and Bevin Bourland of Lewiston, Idaho; one sister Sue Bourland of Phoenix, Arizona, Jack Bourland of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren Jacob Bourland (Rose) of Winona, Missouri, Molly (Kris) Lipe of Effingham, Emily (Matthew) Fitzgerald of Casselberry, Florida, Betsy Pardick of Clarkfield, Minnesota, Abby Pardick of Grand Rapids, Michigan, C.W. Woods of Holly Hills, Florida, Shar'les Woods of New Mexico, Michael Woods of Effingham, Jolynn Beatrice and Nikki Dion Bourland of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Great Grandchildren Andrew and Dakota Bourland of Winona, Missouri, Elijah Lipe of Effingham, twins Aiden and Declan Fitzgerald of Casselberry, Florida who share his birth date, Dexter Pardick and Carson Nielson of Clarkfield, Minnesota, Olivia Clayton of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Allie Woods of Effingham, Cobie Woods and Brantley Woods of New Mexico.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Betty Jo Bourland and great-granddaughter, Dezarea Marie Woods.