BENSON, Harlan Marvin --- 1918-1992

ACKERMAN, BENSON, WACHA, MCCORMICK, GILLESPIE, HERRIAN

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 11/29/2012 at 18:04:21

Harlan M. Benson

Harlan Marvin Benson, son of Bernard and Annabelle (Ackerman) Benson, was born Aug. 12, 1918 at Chester, Iowa. He passed away Saturday, Nov. 21, 1992 in the Northgate Care Center at Waukon, Iowa. He was 74.

He was baptized in the Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at Lourdes, Iowa. He attended the Chester School. On Oct. 10, 1939 he married Ione Gladys Wacha at the Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. They had 7 children. The couple farmed for 5 years. Then Harlan was employed by a roofing company at Cresco and the Bly Rendering Company. In 1959 they moved to Postville where he worked for 23 years as a maintenance man at the Hygrade Food Plant until retiring in 1973.

Harlan was a member of St. Bridget Catholic Church. He loved to go fishing and play cards.

He is preceded in death by his parents, a sister who died at birth, 5 brothers, Harry, Floyd, Jack, Merrill and Ed and a granddaughter, Debbie Benson.

Surviving are his wife, Ione; 6 sons, William of Lansing, Leonard (Janet) of Postville, Joseph (Sheila) of Marble Rock, Iowa, David of Castalia and Robert and Thomas (Julie), all of Postville; a daughter, Mary (Ken) McCormick of Clear Lake, Iowa; one brother, Leslie (Linda) Benson of Dinsdale, Iowa; 2 sisters, Bernice Gillespie of Cresco and Gladys Herrian of Waterloo; 16 grandchildren, one step grandchild, 6 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Mass for Harlan M. Benson was held Tuesday, Nov. 24, 1992 at 11 a.m. at St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Postville, Iowa. The Schutte Funeral Service of Postville was in charge of arrangements. Burial was in the Postville Cemetery.

Casket bearers were Harlan Koenig, Joe Panoch, Harold Everman, Virgil Bengfort, Eugene Mork and Don Bugenhagen.

Postville, Iowa newspaper of the time clipping, from Dorothy Schave's obituary collection.