L.B. "Buddy" Brandes (Plainview)

A celebration of the life of Luther Ben “Buddy” Brandes, 87, of Plainview will be held at 1pm Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at Trinity Lutheran Church in the Providence Community on FM 2301. Reverend Peter Harrington will officiate. Burial will follow in Plainview Memorial Park, under the direction of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. Buddy was born October 1, 1922 to Ben Brandes and Hattie Luedtke Brandes in the Praireview Community in Hale County. He grew up in the Providence Community northeast of Plainview and graduated from Plainview High School in l940. He entered the Air Force in 1942, and served his country during World War II for 42 months as an aviation mechanic, first at an Air Force base in Pampa, Texas, then in the South Pacific. During his duty he achieved the rank of sergeant. On his first furlough in April of 1943 he married his high school sweetheart, Georgie Lucille Nance, daughter of Morris and Ruth Nance of Plainview. He was honorably discharged in February of 1946, and returned home to begin his farming career. He was a respected and admired farmer in the Providence Community for 43 years. He was a lifetime member and the oldest living member of Trinity Lutheran Church, serving on the church council, building committees, caring for the church grounds, and was a Sunday School teacher. While farming, he served on numerous agriculture-related boards; including a 21 year stint on Lighthouse Electric Cooperative Board of Directors, Floydada, Texas. Mr. Brandes was President of the Floyd County Farm Bureau and the Lockney Rotary Club in the 1960’s. He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran University Board of Regents, Seguin, Texas, for 12 years. He served 5 years on the Board of Trustees for the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest, Austin, Texas. He was currently serving as a member of the Hale County Farm and Ranch Museum Board, Hale Center, Texas. Buddy was a loving husband and father, had a generous and giving heart, was a hardworking provider, and a true friend to many. After living for 43 years on their farm, he retired in 1989, and they moved into Plainview where they continue to reside. As a 15 year cancer survivor, Mr. Brandes was awarded the Shining Star Award from the American Cancer Society in 2000. Together with his wife Georgie they received the Helping Hand Award from Lutheran Social Services of Texas in 1990 for their dedication and service to the organization. He is survived by Georgie, his loving and devoted wife of 66 years. He has two daughters, Debra Bartos and her husband Jim of Lubbock; Pam Hall and her husband Corky of Garland; two granddaughters, Megan Pilkinton and her husband Nathan of Frisco; Hayley Hall and her fiancé Jerod Hangartner of Richardson; and one grandson, Courter Brandes Hall of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Buddy was the proud GREAT grandfather of little Grayson West Pilkinton of Frisco. Preceding him in death were his parents, Ben and Hattie Brandes, one sister, Evalee Stoerner, and his brother Dr. Lee Roy Brandes. Pallbearers include: Courter Brandes Hall, Nathan Pilkinton, Jerod Hangartner, Mark Brandes, John Quebe, Martin Stoerner, Louie Bybee, Boyd Jackson. Honorary Pallbearers include: Corky Hall, Jim Bartos, S.M. True, Wendell Tooley, Royce Carthel, Louis Lloyd, Don Bean, Alton Higginbothom, Tom Johnson, Warren Mathis, Virgil Phillips. Visitation will be held from 6-8pm on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at Kornerstone Funeral Directors. The family requests that memorials be made to The Lutheran Social Services of Texas (PO Box 140767, Austin, Texas 78714) or a Charity of your choice.