(Seguin) — For decades, the name Luensmann has been synonymous with anything farm and ranch. That’s all thanks to many years and now the legacy Benno Luensmann of the Seguin Cattle Company has left behind. Luensmann died Sunday.
Over the years, family members say Benno has received many awards for his accomplishments as well as recognition for a lifetime of service to the community and agriculture.
His son, Bryan Luensmann says agriculture was simply his father’s passion.
“Dad was born in Zuehl, Texas. He married mom in 1957 and he took a job here in Seguin. He taught at Seguin High School. He taught at TLU when it still had an Ag department. He has done a little bit of everything in this community. He served back in the day as the fair president. In ’78, they bought the Cattle Company him and his two brothers and they turned it from a rundown beat up sell barn to a multi-million sell barn. So, he has had a lot of achievements in this life. Gosh, there is nothing in agriculture where he didn’t sit on a committee, or he wasn’t involved with the kids. It was his lifelong passion,” said Bryan.
Family says Benno had both practical experience in agriculture and degrees in Animal Husbandry and Education. Bryan says his father was no stranger to anyone in the agricultural community. He says although identified with Guadalupe County and the Seguin Cattle Company, relationships in the industry even before cattle were built all over.
“Before we started running cattle, he was a registered Duroc breeder back in the 60s and 70s and early 80s and all of the way from the Midwest down into Mexico. I mean, I remember as a kid where we would haul breeding gilts all the way into Mexico. We would leave at midnight so we could be there at daybreak while it was cool, and I mean that’s why I say it’s not just one county. It was all over the United States and the Mexico border. In ’82 is when he had his tractor accident, that’s when the girls were off to college and me and my brother were in high school, and they already had the cattle company. We had all these hogs and we just had to sell the hogs off because we were spread too thin. It was just mom and us two boys there at the house and that’s when we got into the cow and calf operation and that’s where we stuck with it,” said Brian.
In 1974, the family shares that the U.S. Feed Grain Council asked Benno to travel to South Korea and work as a service consultant for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They say there he spent two years in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. They add that he was also asked to continue working for the Agriculture Department but chose to return home to his family and farm.
The Seguin Cattle Company was purchased in 1978. Sharing in the business were Benno’s brothers Hank and Otto. Later joining the team was brother Richard.
Among his accomplishments and recognition for a lifetime of service to the community and agriculture are awards from the Swine Breeders Association, Independent Cattlemen’s Association, Texas State University, Texas Lutheran College, and the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce.
Benno leaves behind his wife Shirley Luensmann, and other children Reagan Luensmann, Yvonne Evilsizer and Donna Skogman.
Benno was 88.