Bernard (Ben) Francis Pinter

Bernard (Ben) Francis Pinter, 85, of Morrilton passed away Tuesday, November 29, 2011. He was born in Morrilton, AR on February 18, 1926 to the late Peter and Anna Hoelzeman Pinter. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1943 and spent his life as a dairy farmer on the Pinter Family home place where he was born. In 1973, his family was named Farm Family of the Year for Conway County. In 1987, he and his wife were selected as Honorary Parents at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Ben was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, serving as a Eucharistic Minister, lector, usher, and field advocate for the Marriage Tribunal of the Little Rock Diocese. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and served on the Sacred Heart School Board and the Parish Council. He was an Oblate of St. Benedict for over 50 years. Mr. Pinter was an active member in the community throughout his life. He was a member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society and the Conway County Care Center, serving on its board for many years and as an after-hours volunteer. He is preceded in death by his parents; one infant son, Victor Louis; two sisters, Marie and Agnes and four brothers, Joe, John, Phil and Carl. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Catherine Siebenmorgen Pinter; six daughters, Janie (Ed) Ussery of Morrilton; Mary Beth (Jim) Hard of Burlington, Iowa; Teresa (Joe) Mallett of Conway; Nita (Ed) Moix of Rogers; Ann (Terry) Basco of Little Rock; Christina (John) Flake of Conway; nine sons, Paul of Morrilton; Steve (Stacy) of Benton; Gerry (Carol) of Morrilton; Mike (Robbie) of Nashville, Tenn.; Tim (Tina) of Little Rock; Ben (Amber) of Fayetteville; Frank (Bernadette) of Fayetteville; Ed (Kim) of North Little Rock and Patrick (Patti) of Fort Smith. He is also survived by 38 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Survivors also include one sister, Helen Nabholz of Conway and two brothers, Henry of Napa, Calif. and Nick of Memphis, Tenn. Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m., Friday, December 2, 2011, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Charles Thessing officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery by Harris Funeral Home of Morrilton. The family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, with a rosary following at 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Parish Hall Building Fund, 506 E. Broadway, Morrilton, Arkansas 72110 or Holy Family Mission, 65 Holy Family Mission Road, Morrilton, Arkansas 72110. Online guestbook: www.harrisfuneralhomes.net.