Bennie Umland

Services for Bennie Umland will be live streamed from our Hudson & Torres Family Funeral Home facebook page on Saturday starting at 2:00 pm.

Graveside services for Bennie William Umland of Bridgeport, Texas will be 2:00 pm Saturday, March 28, 2020 at East Bridgeport Cemetery, officiated by Rev. Gerald Epperson. Pallbearers include Lutz Braeuer, Adrian Rivera, Joseph De Leon, Teno Mirales, Joshua Mirales, and Wayne White. A family visitation will be 6-8 pm Friday, March 27 at Hudson & Torres Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport. Bennie passed away Saturday, March 21 in Decatur, Texas.

He was born July 15, 1929 in Bertha, Minnesota to parents Harry Umland and Minnie Hilke (Lage) Umland.

He served our country as a Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force for ten years.

He married the love of his life Maria De Leon on December 1, 1981 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Bennie and Maria Umland have owned and operated Maria’s Flowers and Gift Shoppe in Bridgeport since its opening in May of 1996. Always with a smile on his face, Bennie could often be seen delivering precious flowers, plants, and gifts to the people of Bridgeport and Wise County.

The couple were very involved in the community. In 2003, Bennie received the President’s Award from the Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce.  In addition, he served as Director of the Bridgeport Economic Development Board from 2006-2008.

On those rare occasions when he and Maria were not working, Bennie enjoyed listening to music while driving down the backroads in his pickup. He had a great love for life. In honor of his German heritage, Bennie could sometimes be known to relax by partaking of German beer at home. He loved German food and banda music, as well as Mexican food and mariachi music.

He leaves behind his wife of 38 years, Maria Umland of Bridgeport; daughters Robin Whited and husband Morrow of Hurst, Texas, and Sandra Stone and husband William Cocks of South Jamesport, New York, adopted/bonus son Lutz Braeuer; grandchildren Sharon Guddemi and husband Joe, Billy Cocks and Jay Sutton; great-grandchildren William, Caitlyn, Benny, Owen, Erin, and Jocelyn; and numerous other family.

Bennie was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings Virgil Umland, Leslie Umland, and Vernis Booth.