BRIGHAM, Bennie Rhea Bennie Rhea Brigham was born in Dallas, TX on January 3, 1944. He lived in the back of his parents' Polar Bear Ice Cream store until he was 7 years old. At the age of 13, he began working summers for his dad and continued throughout college. Bennie graduated from Adamson High School in 1961. He continued his education at Texas Tech University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Industry in 1965. While at Tech, he was a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Zeta honorary fraternities, Alpha Tau Omega and was a member of the Saddle Tramps spirit organization. After graduating, Bennie married the love of his life, Mary Gibbons. Three months later, his father died of a heart attack, and at the young age of 21, Bennie took over the family business. He grew the business from 3 stores to 65 stores before selling the company in 1983. Bennie then focused his attention on the second business his dad had begun in 1950, Pecan Deluxe Candy Company, developing inclusions, flavorings and toppings for the frozen dessert and food industry. Bennie has served as past president of the Oak Cliff Lions' Club, the Dallas Ft Worth Dairy Society, the Texas Dairy Processors Supply Association. He was also a past director of the Dairy Products Institute of Texas and was on the board of the International Dairy Food Association. In addition, he was on the International Ice Cream Board. He was inducted into the Texas Dairy Industry Hall of Fame in 2000. He has twice been speaker at the International Dairy Foods convention. Bennie was a very strong Christian and was an active member of Prestonwood Baptist Church until Parkinson's Disease halted his activity in the church. He put God first in everything he did, and his family loved him and respected him to the ends of the earth. He was a devoted and loving husband and a wonderful father and grandfather. Bennie was preceded in death by his parents, J.C. & Louise Brigham. Bennie leaves his wife, Mary, his daughter Cheryl Fulfer and husband Cody, son Jay Brigham and wife Kimberly, grandsons Parker Brigham, Zachary Miller and Bennett Brigham, and his sister Judy Spoonemore and her husband, Bob. A memorial service will take place at Prestonwood Baptist chapel on Wednesday, February 12, at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a monetary donation to either Mission Dignity at 5005 LBJ Freeway Ste. 2200 Dallas, TX 75244-6152 https://www.missiondignity.org/HowYouCanHelp or The Parkinson Voice Project at 646 N. Coit Road, Suite 2250, Richardson, TX 75080 https://www.parkinsonvoiceproject.org/Donate