Richard Christon

richard christon
Richard Dean Christon, a resident of New Braunfels, Texas, passed away on July 12, 2021 just shy of his 86th birthday. He was born in Nebraska on August 6, 1935. He is survived by his cherished sisters, Elizabeth Chichester and Catherine Blevins; his beloved children, son, RD Christon (Angelia), and daughters Cindy Howard (Frank), Valerie Christon, and Trina Smith (Greg); wonderful grandchildren, Raelyn Baumgartner (Evan), Gary Daughtry, Zach Odom (Sandra), Caitlin Andima (Bernie), Drew Smith, Gavin Smith (Sadie), Justin Christon, and Jasmyn Christon; precious great-grandchildren, Harper Baumgartner, Ben Odom, Ella Andima, Chloe Smith, Sabrina Smith, Adriana Smith, Sullivan Smith, and Edward Smith; and sweet Bella – who went from being a “hound” to his daily companion, 8 lb guard-dog, and best friend. He was predeceased by his parents Walter and Christina Christon; brother-in-laws Gilbert “Chic” Chichester, Lee Hardy, Larry Beecher, Don Blevins; nephew, Patrick Hardy, and spouse, Linda Benskin. In the 1800’s, his mother’s family immigrated from Belgium and arrived at Ellis Island in the U.S. as noted in national archives, and settled in Nebraska. He was born in Nebraska and grew up working hard on the family farm. Upon graduation, he entered the military and served his country with pride as a U.S. Marine. Upon his honorable discharge, he married the prettiest girl, Leona Summers, and together they had four children. They lived in several states before finally relocating to his beloved Texas - where the cowboy lifestyle and warmer weather suited him just fine. He became an avid horseman and loved trail rides. He later married Linda Benskin. When his son was in high school, they loved traipsing across the state each weekend to watch him ride bulls at rodeos, sparking a life-long interest in watching the televised sport of bull riding on PBR and rodeos. Throughout the years, he held several supervisory positions before eventually starting his own business known as Design Specialities, until a back injury forced him into early retirement. He loved living in a tranquil, country setting where he fed his large herd of deer, and watched the wildlife. He was always ready to guide and help on any project, patiently instructing and sharing his wealth of knowledge. He was a talented wood-worker, meticulously crafting beautiful frames. He rightfully considered himself a master chef when it came to grilling steaks, and no one made better toast than “Crampa” – his secret was buttering it from edge to edge. Family gatherings meant so much to him, not just for the wonderful meals and traditional Belgium recipes, but the time shared with his beloved family. Family was important to him - as attested by the walls absolutely full of family photos and artwork in his home. He loved being a dad, a grandpa, crampa, and great-grandpa. He beamed with pure joy holding each new great-grandbaby. There was a sense of calmness, warmth, and gentleness to him, and his easy smile and soft-spoken words never failed to elicit the sweetest giggles and grins. Both his heart and his door were always open and welcoming– even if you weren’t family, he had a special way of making you feel like family. For most of his life, he was a man of routine, but even an old dog can learn new tricks. In his eighties, he discovered he had a penchant for growing orchids (an ice-cube on Thursdays produced many beautiful blooms in his sun room). Most of all, he was a gentle giant, a quiet man. There wasn’t a mean bone in him. With him, home wasn’t just a place -- home was the special place he held in his heart for you. He was non-judgmental, with an abundance of unconditional love and support. No mistake you made was ever greater than the love he had for you. He was truly a sweet, kind, and accommodating man. He was a mentor, a man of few words, and the man he was is how we should all strive to be. He will be interred at a memorial service on July 30, 2021 at 1:15 p.m. with military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas. He left big boots to be filled, and while our hearts are heavy with grief at losing him, our hearts are comforted by the memories and abundance of love he shared with all who were blessed to know him.

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  1. So sad to hear about Richard. He was such a gentle man to be around the few times we socialized with him. His pain over the past years has been very bad and he is now in peace and without pain. Rest in peace Richard.


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