Benjamin Irvin Cheney, Jr. of Roswell, Georgia (AKA: Irv, Parson, Rev, Cheney, Bro, Brother, Papa Irv, Papa, Uncle Bud), passed away on Friday, October 4, 2024, having recently celebrated his 98th birthday with family on a joyful day in Washington, Georgia, where he grew up. He was born on August 15, 1926, in Washington to Benjamin Irvin Cheney and Mildred Sims Cheney. He graduated from Washington High School, Mercer University, and New Orleans Baptist Seminary.

Irvin married Marguerite Ricard in Denham Springs, Louisiana, with whom he had daughters Jeannie, June, and Joy, whom the family lovingly refer to as the three twins.

He pastored churches in Hammond and Talullah, Louisiana, and was the founding pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Baton Rouge where he remained good friends with many in the congregation. He was honored to return to speak at Broadmoor's 30th and 50th anniversaries. During that pastorate in the 1950s, he was involved with other pastors in attempting to peacefully achieve civil rights in Baton Rouge. These efforts were not universally accepted within the community. He and his family then moved to Daytona Beach where he became minister at First Congregational Church and was involved there in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He, along with other Daytona area ministers, began an interfaith Maundy Thursday service, rotating among the churches. In 1963, he infiltrated a Klan rally in St. Augustine and successfully summoned state and federal authorities who prevented four innocent men from being lynched and the victims' attackers from becoming murderers. He recently reconnected with the only remaining surviving victim. A highlight of his life was being able to witness the signing of the Civil Rights' Bill in Washington, D.C. in 1964.

His passion for social and economic justice led him to work in the newly formed VISTA program where he was Southeast Regional Director, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. While there, he married Carol Buky with whom he shared forty-one years of marriage until her death in 2021, enjoying many extended camping trips throughout the United States and Canada. They also began collecting antique crystal, silver, and china, showing it at various antique fairs across the southeast. Upon retiring, Irv and Carol moved to Washington, Ga. While there, he became a municipal court judge, wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper and was involved in civic affairs.

Irvin made friends wherever he lived and with whom he stayed in contact throughout his life. Regrettably, many of them were the object of his mischievous pranks! Throughout our lives, we heard many hilarious stories about his escapades done alone or with accomplices!

An avid storyteller, he loved sharing interesting facts about Wilkes County and enjoyed driving people on talking tours of that area. He loved people, dogs, nature, reading, restoring old cars, cooking, woodworking, history and his daily word puzzles. He was devoted to the teaching of Jesus and saw all his fellow humans as God's children. He decided in his fifties to fulfill a lifelong dream by attending law school at night. He not only graduated magna cum laude, he passed the Georgia Bar Exam on his first attempt. He played organ and piano quite well, and he and his sister, Mimi, entertained their family (and the neighborhood) with their rollicking gospel duets.

Papa Irv loved and respected his daughters and their children and often commented on how wonderful it was that they were all such good people and such wonderfully individual people. He absolutely adored his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and treasured their visits. He loved his siblings, his nieces and nephews, and never missed an opportunity to visit with them and kept up with them as they established their lives around the world.

He presided at family weddings. He counseled children who felt ready to join the church. He comforted family members in crisis and bereavement. He went where needed and stayed as long as necessary.

He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Lelia Freeman and Mimi Cohen; his nephews Michael Cheney and Ben Freeman, Jr.; nieces Katherine Scardato and Mildred Coleman and stepson Stan Buky.
His memory is cherished by daughters Jeanne Moore (Gregg) of Marietta, GA, June Lavergne (Ken) and Joy Hammatt (Bruce) of Baton Rouge, LA and stepson Brad Buky (Sue) of Colleyville, TX; grandchildren Laura May (Ben) of Brentwood, TN, Brian Parker (Allie), Robyn Vollenweider (Dariush), and Brad Parker (Megan) of Baton Rouge, Scott Hammatt (Emily) of Cypress, TX, and Blake Hammatt (Kristi) of Baton Rouge, step-grandchildren Lance Buky (Stacy) of Fort Worth, TX and Chad Buky of Colleyville, TX; his great-grandchildren, Grayson, Griffin, and Cheney May, Hailey, Brooke, and Nathan Parker, Judson and Marguerite "Maggie" Vollenweider, Emma and Isabelle Parker, Brady, Collin, and Henry Hammatt, Edward and Caroline Hammatt, step great-grandchildren Ty and Molly Kate Buky and Kinsley Buky; his sister, Patricia Britt (Walter) of Durant, OK, and brother, Dr. Marion Cheney (Lynn) of Titusville, FL, along with numerous nieces and nephews whom he adored.

Visitation will be Sunday, October 13 at Northside Chapel funeral and Crematory, 12050 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA at 2:00pm with a memorial service to follow at 3:00pm. The Rev. Tim Bagwell will officiate. A reception will follow the service at the funeral home. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed via https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcyODMyOTE1MDMzMTM4MSZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw== .

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Caroline Hammatt SOX17 Foundation Fund for pulmonary arterial hypertension research at Boston Children's Hospital.
Link: Boston Children's Hospital - Caroline Hammatt SOX17 Research Page
or mail a check to:
Boston Children's Hospital Trust
Attn: Gift Services
Caroline Hammatt Sox17 Research
401 Park Drive, Suite 602
Boston, MA 02215