Wilburn E Beckhusen

Wilburn E. Beckhusen, 83, of Buckholts died Friday, February 8, 2008 in a Temple hospital. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Monday at the Hope Lutheran Church in Buckholts with Rev. Gary Kleypas officiating. Family visitation will be held Sunday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home in Cameron.

Mr. Beckhusen was born January 21, 1925 in Bryant Station, Texas to Garrett Beckhusen and Ludie Fischer Beckhusen. He graduated from Buckholts ISD in 1942. Mr. Beckhusen worked with his father in the farming business before branching out on his own. He bought Modern Gin in Buckholts in 1948.

Mr. Beckhusen married Dorothy Lee Marchak on July 23, 1949, who preceeded him in death in 1982. On June 4, 1984, he married Venetia Hartley.

Mr. Beckhusen served in various civic capacities including, the Buckholts Town Council, Director of Citizens National Bank from 1976 to 1997, Director of the Texas Independent Cotton Ginners Association, Director of the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Program, former President of the Cameron Chamber of Commerce, as well as, founding member of the Buckholts Betterment Association, where he served as Secretary for many years.

Mr. Beckhusen, also served in the Bell-Milam Land and Water Rights Association, as Director of St. Eduwards Hospital, Chairman of the Milam County Crops Committee. He was a member of the Milam-Williamson County Pest Management Committee, the Blackland Income Growth Committe, the Blackland Cotton and Grain Association and the FSA County Committee.

He was the recipient of the 1992 Horace Hayden Memorial Trophy for outstanding achievements in Cotton Ginning for the State of Texas.

He was a member of the Hope Lutheran Church in Buckholts where he served in many capacities. He operated Modern Gin from 1948 until the present. Mr. Beckhusen was preceeded in death by his parents, a sister, Beatrice, and a grandson, David Chenoweth.

Survivors include: His wife, Venetia Beckhusen; 3 daughters, Judy Prater and husband, Jim, of Taylor, Becky Novajosky and husband, Joe, of Sugerland, and Jo Ann Culpepper and husband, Hill, of Cameron; 3 sons, Jay Beckhusen and wife, Jana, of Buckholts, Jeff Beckhusen and friend, Heather Twidt, of Houston, Douglas Beckhusen and wife, Tina, of Buckholts, 2 step-sons, James Hatley and wife, Linda, of Alcoa, TN and Tom Hartley of Dallas; Brother, Garrett H. Beckhusen of Temple; 17 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and a host of friends, also survive