February 9, 2026, 66, Mount Olive – Brian Edmund Bender, 66, of Mount Olive, North Carolina, entered into eternal rest at his home early Monday morning, February 9, with his devoted wife by his side, grounded in the faith and love that guided his life.
Brian is survived by his wife of 41 years, Carrina Shay Bender, with whom he built a life rooted in family, faith, and shared dreams. Together, they enjoyed working around their home, landscaping, and planning future travels and road trips they looked forward to taking together. He is also survived by his beloved sons, Kyle J. Bender and his fiancée Marisa L. Olague of Bridgeport, Texas, and Erich S. Bender and his wife Lindsey M. Bender of Groveland, Florida; his sister, Pamela Eschik of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina; and many loving family members in Tennessee, with whom he shared close bonds and lifelong connections.
Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Edmund Vincent Bender and Geraldine Hepke Bender.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Brian began working at just 13 years old, setting the foundation for a lifetime defined by hard work, honesty, and dedication. He spent his entire professional career in the grocery store industry, serving for many years as a grocery store director. Brian was passionate about his work and took pride not only in providing for his family, but in doing things the right way and following through on his word. Throughout his life, Brian lived in Michigan, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, building a sense of home wherever he went. No matter the place, his family was always his greatest priority.
Brian’s Catholic faith was deeply important to him. He attended regular Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Newton Grove and was intentional about honoring his faith in life and in death. Outside of work, Brian found joy in the things that brought meaning and comfort. He loved landscaping and gardening, took great pride in his home, enjoyed his music and vinyl record collection, and was a loyal Green Bay Packers fan. One of his most cherished traditions was setting up his Christmas village, a yearly labor of love that became a treasured part of his family’s holiday memories.
Brian was outgoing, welcoming, and known for his warm, loving personality. When asked how he was doing, his familiar reply was often, “If I was any better, I couldn’t stand it.” Through his life, he taught his family the importance of honesty, commitment, and following through. Not by words alone, but by the example he lived every day.
He will be remembered as a man who loved his family deeply, worked tirelessly for those he loved, and lived with faith, purpose, and heart. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, February 13, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Newton Grove, North Carolina. Burial will take place at a later date in Texas.
The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Tyndall Funeral Home, 1005 North Church Street, Mount Olive, NC 28365.
