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Obituary: MAJ Benjamin Yudesis, PNP/PNC/NJAG

Sep 24, 2024

NJA#11 (1980-86 & 2000-24), NP #54 (1990-91):  NC #72 (2000-01), NC&NP #16, LOH #44 (2009), and VDT #20 (2019)

Personal: Benjamin M. Yudesis was born on 13 November 1938 in Harlingen, Texas to Sol and Miriam Yudesis.  He graduated from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M) in 1961 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and from the University of Texas School of Law in 1964 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree.  He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Texas, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the 5th Army Court of Military Review, and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals.  After his military service, he returned to San Benito, Texas, where he served as a Magistrate and Judge.

Uniformed Service:  Benjamin M. Yudesis entered the U.S. Army on 13 September 1969 and was commissioned a 2LT.  He graduated from the Judge Advocate General Corps Advanced Course and the U.S. Army Command and Staff College. He was the Staff Judge Advocate at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.  He retired as a MAJ on 1 July 1990 with nearly 21 years of service.

Masonic History:  Brother Benjamin M. Yudesis, 33°, was raised in San Benito Lodge #1064 on 21 January 1961.  He was a York Rite Mason, was coroneted a 33° I.G.H. in the Scottish Rite (A.A.S.R.-SMJ), and was a member of Moslah Temple (A.A.O.N.M.S.) in Fort Worth, Texas. He was a Senior DeMolay and received their Chevalier Degree.

National Sojourners® & Heroes of ‘76®: Brother CPT Benjamin M. Yudesis, 33°, joined Kentucky Chapter #134 on 9 February 1978 and served as Chapter Second and Third Vice President. He was initiated in Daniel Boone Camp, Heroes of ’76 on 20 July 1979, with the Ohio River serving the useful purpose for the Degree.  In early 1980, CPT Yudesis was appointed National Judge Advocate, when the elected NJA, LTC Winn M. Thurman, resigned.  Brother CPT Yudesis was first elected at the 60th National Convention in 1980 and was re-elected in 1983, serving until 1986.  At the 66th National Convention in 1986, MAJ Yudesis was elected N3VP and served as NP in 1990-91.  After serving as NP, MAJ Yudesis was elected a National Trustee in 1991 and served in that capacity until 2000.  In 1995, he was elected to the Honor Awards Committee.  In 2000, he was elected as National Commander and was re-elected as National Judge Advocate, a position he held until 2024.  In 2009, he received the Legion of Honor, and in 2019, he received the Van Deventer Trophy.  In total, Brother MAJ Benjamin M. Yudesis, 33°, served a total of 44 years as an Active National Officer (NJA 1980-86 and 2000-24), N3VP through NP 1986-91), National Trustee 1991-2000, and National Commander (2000-01).  These continuous positions make him the longest-serving National Officer in the Order’s history, and one of three Sojourners to hold four National leadership positions: NP, NC, NJA, and National Trustee.  The closest to his years of service are MG Amos A. Fries, 33°, with 40 years of active service and MAJ Nelson O. Newcombe with 37 years of active service.

Among the 50,000+ Sojourners, ranking in the top 500 Sojourners would be the top 1%, in the top 50 would be the top 0.1%, and being in the top 5 would be the top 0.01%.   This is the rare environment in which Brother Benjamin M. Yudesis operated by being:

  • 1 of 131 National Trustees since 1922.
  • 1 of 96 National Commanders (NC) since 1922.
  • 1 of 88 National Presidents (NP) since 1919.
  • 1 of 57 Legion of Honor (LOH) recipients since 1961
  • 1 of 24 Van Deventer Trophy (VDT) recipients since 1998.
  • 1 of 14 National Judge Advocates (NJA) since 1927.
  • 1 of 19 NPs and NCs since 1936.
  • 1 of 13 NPs, NCs, and LOH recipients since 1957.
  • 1 of 5 NPs, NCs, and LOH and VDT recipients since 1998.
  • 1 of 3 NPs and NJAs since 1954.
  • 1 of 2 NPs, NCs, NJAs, National Trustees, and LOH recipients since 2007.

MAJ Benjamin M. Yudesis, 33°, laid down his working tools in Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas on 26 December 2024.  Benjamin was buried with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday, 6 January 2025.