Benjamin Patel

Benjamin Patel was born on December 4th, 1927 in Buffalo, NY. He is the son of Rae and Morris Patel. Ben’s parents migrated from Russia in the early part of the century and settled in Buffalo. They worked hard as caterers and owned their own restaurant, where Ben often helped. Ben’s strong work ethic started early. When Ben began school, his English was poor since the household and neighborhood language was mostly Yiddish. After learning English, he taught his parents to read and write the new language, and he later helped the family by selling shoes and taking other side jobs. Ben graduated from the University of Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree in 1950. He volunteered to join the United States Navy in January 1953 and was stationed at the US Navy Hospital in Philadelphia, PA as a pharmacy technician. He received the National Service Defense Medal for his duty and was honorably discharged in September of 1954 and then joined the Navy Reserve. Ben went on to open his first pharmacy, Dixie Drugs and later on, Par Drugs. Ben first met his wife and soulmate, Elaine, when she was only three years old. Elaine’s brother, Irving, was a close friend of Ben. Nineteen years later, they reconnected at a wedding and the once in a lifetime love story began. Ben and Elaine were married on November 6, 1955. They lived in a beautiful home in Williamsville, NY, where they raised and cherished their daughter, Randi, and sons, Gary and Marc. In 1979, the family relocated to Houston where Ben started working in the career placement industry and matched petroleum engineers with companies seeking qualified personnel. In the early 1980s, when the oilfield began to slump, Ben returned to work as a pharmacist. Ben was known for the genuine care that he had for his customers and the friendships that grew with his coworkers and customers. He retired in the late 1990s. Ben was incredibly devout in his Jewish faith. He and Elaine were active members of their synagogue, Brith Shalom, for 38 years. He proudly led family and friends during Passover Seder and Hanukkah dinners. His lessons and traditions will live on in many loved ones. After Elaine passed away in 2017, Ben’s strong faith never wavered. Ben’s passions included watching sports, playing pool, and writing poetry. In 2004, he published a book of his poetry called, Love Words and Other Thoughts. Most of his poetry was written in the middle of the night; he would say, “The words just come to me.” Family and friends often enjoyed his creative genius as the prelude to one of Elaine’s famous dinners. In addition, Ben was a member of the Order of Masons. He belonged to both Temple Lodge #1159 in Amherst, NY and Temple Lodge #4 in Houston, Tx. Ben (Papa) was a loving grandfather. Over the years, Ben and Elaine spent a lot of time cheering on their granddaughters, Kate and Jane, at their sporting events. You could find the couple in the stands rain or shine. They also attended couples club, bridge club, and countless social gatherings with friends. Ben and Elaine both had a quest for learning and a love of the arts. They took pleasure in going to museums, art exhibits, and concerts. Ben loved to read and attend the lectures at the World Affairs Council. Before and after retirement, Elaine and Ben traveled the world visiting many countries including Israel, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Greece. Mostly, they enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends. Ben passed peacefully on September 4, 2023 to join his beloved Elaine. Ben is survived by his children Randi, Gary and Marc, daughter-in-laws Barbara and Brenda, son-in-law John, and granddaughters Kate and Jane. He will be deeply missed as a father, as a Papa, and as a friend. A funeral service took place at 11:00 am on Sunday, September 10, 2023 in the Bender Memorial Chapel at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery, 7445 Awty School Ln., Houston, TX, 77055. The service was be livestreamed at: https://venue.streamspot.com/f8d04b5b and can be viewed for 90 days, In lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree in Israel through the Jewish National Fund in Ben’s honor. https://www.nationaljewishmemorialwall.com/ To view a presentation created by Ben's family, click the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/70d0evwex97u4v0vtiryb/Ben-Memorial-PPT23.pptx?rlkey=s6ihjwqldwq8ixclq9w1ibzro&dl=0

Benjamin Patel

December 4, 1927 - September 4, 2023