Band leader, City Polka Boy passes away
Regular readers of the Tribune-Herald may recall a story we shared a few years back now about Benny Okruhlik, leader of a band perhaps best known as the City Polka Boys, who on Nov. 21, 2021, gathered in Praha with family, friends and fellow bandmates, past and present, to ring in quite the special occasion.
It seems Benny and his bands—that’s plural because they typically take the stage as “Texas Sound Check” these days (or, “Sound Czech”, as it is often stylized on most of their albums and memorabilia)—had officially marked five decades with their music.
They gathered in Praha to celebrate fact, a feat that that saw congratulatory messages and well wishes from all over. In fact, the folks with the Texas Music Office presented Okruhlik and his founding members with proclamations recognizing their golden anniversary, all signed and proper from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott himself.
On Tuesday, Okruhlik’s family and friends once again gathered in the Praha community, the place where Benny was born and raised, only this time it came under far more somber circumstances.
After many years battling debilitating health issues, Benny passed away last week, just one day shy of the anniversary of that 2021 gathering.
Friends and family gathered Sunday in Houston for a rosary recitation at the Knights of Columbus Hall for Council No. 2917, where Benny had long been an active member of that organization for 50-plus years.
A Knight of Fourth degree, Benny took on several roles with council, serving as everything from Grand Knight to financial secretary, a position his proudly held for many years.
After completing his military service with the Army Reserves, Benny found work as an accountant with Getty Oil near Houston where he would spend the next 40-plus years, working through buyouts by the likes of companies such as Texaco and later, Chevron.
In 1965, he married the love of his life, Miss Earline Kaase, from the community of Swiss Alp, and together they set about having a family of their own. They were blessed with two sons, Brian and Bruce, who in turn blessed them with six grandchildren.
Earline was second only to his other love in life, his music. A talented accordion player, he joined forces with folks like Wesley Matus, Dennis Fajkus, his own brother, Ernie Okruhlik, and later, folks like Ben Orsak and Larry Netardus and quite literally, dozens of others through the years known as the City Polka Boys and, later, the Texas Sound Check ( C z e c h ) Band, to perform celebrations, weddings and even some of the first televised functions for polka music lovers in places like the Mraz Dance Hall in Houston, all begun by a fellow named James Urbanosky who hired the City Polka Boys for their first really big gig, playing at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church Picnic in Houston.
Urbanosky even surprised Benny and crew at that 2021 event by turning out to congratulate them all on a job well done.
On Tuesday, November 26th they returned to Praha, where his burial Mass was held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, followed by the rite of committal after the service at St. Mary’s Cemetery, with full military honors.
Benny leaves behind his bride of 59 years, Earline; their two sons and their families, Brian and wife Gale and their four children, Emma, John, Kyle and Jack; and Bruce and wife Christine, and their two children, Madeline and Mason, many cousins, nephews and nieces, and scores of fans.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary Okruhlik; brother, Ernie Okruhlik; and sister, Lillie May Machicek.
We visited with his son Bruce late Monday for much of the information provided in this story. As he put it, “I’m sure he’s reunited with the original City Polka Boys and they’ve played a few together already.”
Because in heaven there may be no beer, or so the classic polka tune goes, but you can bet darn tootin’ there’s a polka getting played somewhere. Because you can rest assure, that if they weren’t playing any before, there surely are now that Benny’s gone home.