Bennie Stasny

Bennie Lansford Stasny was born in Center, Texas on August 18, 1942. Her family moved to Orange early on, and she considered it to be her “hometown”. The family also moved to Houston, then Pasadena, where she graduated from high school. She made her way to the University of Texas at Austin where she met John Stasny, fell in love and got married in 1964 at the Old Taylor Brethren Church. She then received her BA in Journalism in 1965. Bennie and John raised a daughter and lived together happily in Austin for 49 years until her passing on October 29, 2013.

Bennie was filled with compassion and interest in others. Although her degree was in journalism, she found herself at the Texas Department of Human Services. She had a meaningful career, moving from Social Worker to Regional Administrator over her 31 years with The State of Texas.

Bennie and John loved to travel. They started as a young family with their daughter’s constant twirling competitions across the U.S. Once retired, they ventured out across to the United Kingdom – and once the couple got a taste of Europe, they went back every chance they got (twelve times over eighteen years, but mainly to the Czech Republic). Although Bennie did not speak or understand the Czech language, she always enjoyed being with John’s Czech friends and relatives. She truly learned to love the Czech culture.

The journalism degree proved to be an invaluable asset during Bennie’s retirement, as she worked endlessly with numerous genealogical societies, especially the Texas Czech Genealogical Society and the Czech Veteran’s Wall of Honor and Museum. She was constantly involved with meetings, conventions, fundraisers, and was author and/or editor of multiple books and articles.

Over the years, Bennie was an avid TV-watcher and movie-goer, which she lovingly passed on to her daughter and granddaughter. She has even been known to have over fifty shows recorded at once – and somehow, with all the wonderful things she was doing for everyone else – still found time to watch each and every one of them. And she was a “Good Shopper!”, as John would say, which she also lovingly passed along. Her other interests included antiquing, cooking, and of course, being so proud of that daughter and granddaughter of hers.

Bennie was predeceased by an infant son; also, her parents, Will Lansford and Vera Stephens Lansford; two sisters, Maxine Lansford Hayes and Bernice Lansford; and niece, Carolyn Hayes Vidrine. She is survived by her husband, John Stasny of Austin; daughter and son-in-law, Dr. Cheryl and Kevin Sellers of New Braunfels; and granddaughter, Ainsley, also of New Braunfels.

A Viewing and Prayer Service will be held Friday, November 1, 2013 @ 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Providence Funeral Home in Taylor, Texas.

Funeral services will take place Saturday, November 2, 2013@ 10:00 a.m. at the Taylor Brethren Church, where Bennie was an active and beloved member for almost 50 years.

Burial will follow at Taylor City Cemetery.

Those that have been blessed to be part of Bennie’s life have never known anything other than her love and her willingness to help. She gave of herself freely and fully to each person or task she encountered. There was never anything done half-heartedly – everything over-the-top, to the fullest degree. This includes the “smallest” of dinners or parties—if done to her liking -- could be worthy of royalty.
… AND THAT’S HOW SHE LIVED – FULL OUT FOR EVERYONE!!!