Benjamin William Milbrandt, Jr.

Benjamin William Milbrandt, Jr., 69, passed away on June 18, 2016 in his home in Bluffton, SC from complications due to cancer. He was the widower of Catherine Milbrandt. They shared 25 years of marriage together filled with many adventures and happy memories. Born in Urbana, Illinois, he was the son of Marion (Owens) Milbrandt and Benjamin Milbrandt, Sr. He graduated from Rantoul High School in 1965, and from University of Illinois in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration. He was at the forefront of the Electronic Data Interchange era, writing one of the first published manuals: EDI: Making Business More Efficient (1987, Automated Graphic Systems), and bringing his skills to places such as Logistics Management Institute, Consolidated Freightways, Navistar International Transportation Corporation and Intel. He had an avid interest in genealogy, tracing his family tree back to the mid-1700s. Since retiring, he was an active member of the Sun City Hilton Head community. He found great joy working with the crew at H&R Block, spending time with neighbors, playing softball with the H&R Block and Rockets teams, as well as playing Pickleball with the Long Points Group, crabbing at Riverbend, and fishing with those he loved. Service was a large part of his life. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at the age of 13 as a member of Troop 28, First Methodist Church in Rantoul, IL. At the age of 15, he received the Order of DeMolay Distinguished Service Medal. He was initiated into the Alpha Alpha Chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity in 1966. He was a 33rd Degree Mason. He made over 100 donations to the American Red Cross Blood Bank, volunteered as an IRS tax preparer for low income individuals, and in Folsom, CA spent countless weekends in over a year’s time to save a local lake from the invasive plant the water hyacinth. He will be remembered most for his brilliant mind, dry wit, willingness to lend a hand, affinity for all things math (including taxes!), ability to teach others and his fun-loving personality. He is survived by his sister Vivian Snyder, brother Roy Milbrandt, son Eric Milbrandt (Kristin), daughter Natalie Hamrick (Brett), and grandchildren Sarah, Ben, Rachel, and Hannah Milbrandt, and Joshua and Noah Hamrick. He was predeceased by his wife Catherine Milbrandt, and his parents Marion Milbrandt and Benjamin Milbrandt, Sr. The memorial service to celebrate his life and homecoming will be Saturday June 25 at 10am at Sauls Funeral Home, 90 Simmonsville Rd, Bluffton, SC. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Gabriel House of Care 4599 Worrall Way, Jacksonville, FL 32224 (online https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/gabrielhouseofcare) or the American Cancer Society 1-800-227-2345 (online https://donate.cancer.org/index).