February 17, 2003
West Texas pastor, secretary
killed in highway accident after party
___PLAINVIEW--Laughter quickly turned to tears last week as a Panhandle church lost both its pastor and secretary in a tragic automobile accident Feb. 8.
___Gordon Benson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Halfway, and church secretary Karen Mason were killed in a one-vehicle accident following dinner and a movie in Amarillo to celebrate Benson's wife's birthday.
___Benson, 52, died at the scene, while Mason, 45, died a short time later at Northwest Texas Hospital. Her husband, David, was riding in the front seat with Benson and suffered a broken leg and ankle. He is a church deacon.
___Riding in the second seat of the Chevrolet Tahoe were Mrs. Mason and her daughter, Karaleigh, who remains in guarded condition with head and back injuries. Brenda Benson was in the back seat and suffered a broken thumb.
___The accident occurred when a large appliance box left the bed of a pickup truck in frontof the group. The vehicle immediately in front of Benson swerved and missed the box, as did Benson, but then the vehicle overturned.
"I mainly just tried to talk about the reality of God and his presence and strength, acknowledging that there are a lot of questions we don't have answers for."
___ --Paul Sadler, explaining his message to the Halfway congregation the next morning
___Benson was apparently the only person in the SUV wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. The others had been wearing seat belts, but had removed them to take off their coats just before the accident.
___Benson and Mason both filled more than one role for the growing church outside of Plainview. Benson also had been leading music since the church is without a music minister and Mason also was church treasurer and pianist.
___Benson, a minister for 35 years, also was an officer in the Staked Plains Pastor/Staff Fellowship.
___Karaleigh Mason is a student at the University of North Texas in Denton and was home for the weekend.
___Paul Sadler, professor of religion at Wayland Baptist University, was traveling just ahead of Benson and also had to swerve around the box; he saw Benson's vehicle overturn in his rearview mirror. He turned back to offer assistance and discovered it was his friends.
___Sadler preached the sermon in the Halfway church the next morning. Gene Meacham, director of missions for Caprock-Plains Baptist Area, also helped minister to the congregation. Jeff and Susan Moore of Amarillo led the music.
___"Everyone, of course, was in shock. Gene Meacham assured the congregation of the support of everyone in the area and that he would be available to help the church through this difficult time," Sadler said.
___"I mainly just tried to talk about the reality of God and his presence and strength, acknowledging that there are a lot of questions we don't have answers for," he said. "But the one thing we know for sure is God loves us and is always with us."
___Benson was in his third year as pastor of the church. Prior to accepting the call at Halfway, the Perryton native was director of development at Wayland University.
___He previously had served as youth minister and music director at River Road Baptist Church in Amarillo and then took early retirement from Southwestern Public Service, where he was plant services director, to become associate pastor for singles and outreach at San Jacinto Baptist Church in Amarillo, where his funeral service was held Feb. 11.
___He is survived by his wife, Brenda; daughter, Chrissye; son, Brandon; brothers, Terry Benson and Kirk Coury; and two grandchildren.
___Mason is survived by her husband, David; daughter, Karaleigh; son, Ryan; mother, Carolyn Brewer; and brother, Michael Brewer.
___Her services were held at the Halfway church Feb. 13.
___By Staff Writer George Henson with additional reporting by Danny Andrews of the Plainview Daily Herald
___
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook