Benny Ray Meier

Benny Ray “Ben” Meier, 83, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on September 3, 2026, at 5:55 a.m. at INTEGRIS Hospice House in Oklahoma City.

Ben was born on April 18, 1943, in Shattuck, Oklahoma. He graduated from Shattuck High School and continued his education by studying accounting at Draughon Business College in Amarillo, Texas. He later attended the Oklahoma School of Banking and Business.

A defining moment in Ben’s life came when he entered the Arkansas Enterprise Center for Newly Blinded Persons. He successfully completed the program and continued his training in visual services. He later worked for the Automatic Retailers Association before finding his longtime career at the VA Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

Ben began his work at the VA as a darkroom technician and went on to devote more than 30 years of dedicated service before retiring in 1997.

Never allowing blindness to limit his life, Ben remained active and pursued many of the sports and activities he had enjoyed throughout his life. He participated in the Blind Bowling League, powerlifting, nine Oklahoma City Memorial Marathons, numerous long-distance running and track events, and Beep Baseball.

Ben was an accomplished Beep Ball player and was selected to the All-Star World Series ten times. One of the highlights of his athletic career came when he earned the Most Valuable Player Award after going 21 for 25 at the plate, achieving an extraordinary .880 batting average. He received numerous MVP awards for both offensive and defensive play and competed in tournaments against teams throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states.

In recognition of his many athletic accomplishments, Ben was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as well as the National Beep Baseball Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ben was active in several organizations throughout the years. His memberships included the Oklahoma City Running Club, the TRIADE Chapter, the Oklahoma Council for the Blind, and Knights of Columbus Council No. 1366.

Of all the important moments and accomplishments in Ben’s life, perhaps none was more meaningful than meeting Angela, the love and light of his life. The couple was married on June 27, 1968, at St. Joseph Old Cathedral Church, where they remained longtime and active members.

Together, Ben and Angela shared a love of travel and adventure. Over the years, they enjoyed cruises and traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Mexico, and many other destinations. Among Ben’s favorite places were Israel and, of course, Yankee Stadium.

Ben is survived by his beloved wife, Angela Meier, the love and light of his life; his sister-in-law, Maria of Oklahoma City; Joe and Isabel Gonzalez of Fresno, California; his sister-in-law, Lupe Gonzalez of Corpus Christi, Texas; Elvira Gonzalez of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; his cousins, Darlene Love Shirley Plain, Barbie Bridges and Gary Keller; as well as numerous other cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Gottfrey and Mary Steinle; his mother, Elsie Meier; his cousin, Gottfrey Jerguson; and his brother-in-law, Delbert Daws.

Ben will be remembered for his remarkable determination, perseverance, love of athletics and adventure, and his refusal to allow life’s challenges to limit the life he chose to live. Above all, he will be remembered for the love he shared with Angela and many others he knew throughout his life’s journey.

A funeral service will be held at 11am on September 10, 2026, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 5024 N. Grove Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73122. A visitation for Benny will be held at Smith and Kernke N. May Wednesday September 9, 2026, from 10AM - 5PM. 

Lunch for all attending will be held immediately following the service.

Viewing will be held September 9th at Smith & Kernke Funeral Home, 14624 N. May Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Oklahoma Library for the Blind, 300 NE 18th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105.