BENSMILLER, Mildred Helen
BENSMILLER, MULLIKIN, ROYER, LILLARD
Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/29/2007 at 16:09:36
"The Fairfield Ledger", Wednesday, April 25, 2007, Page 10
BENSMILLER, Mildred Helen -- Mildred Helen BENSMILLER, 83, of Mount Pleasant, died Tuesday, April 24, 2007, at Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant.
A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in Mount Pleasant, with the Rev. Edward R. Peterson and the Rev. Wayne K. Kamm officiating. Burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery in Mount Pleasant.
Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday at Weir & Kimzey Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, where family will be present from 6-8 p.m.
Memorials may be made to Iowa Wesleyan College, First United Methodist Church or Midwest Old Threshers Reunion.
Mrs. BENSMILLER was born Sept. 19, 1923, in Brighton, the daughter of Everett Leo and Mabel MULLIKIN ROYER. She married Lloyd Dale BENSMILLER Aug. 3, 1945, in Fairfield. He died June 12, 1991, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.
Mrs. BENSMILLER graduated from Argyle High School in 1941. She received a bachelor's degree in English from Parsons College in Fairfield in 1945. She taught English, speech and drama at Columbus Junction High School from 1945-1946 and at Sigourney High School from 1946-1947. She later substitute taught at Smithville, Ind., and Leon high schools. In 1960, Mrs. BENSMILLER completed a master's degree in English from Nebraska State University of Kearney. She furthered her studies at the University of Iowa, the University of Massachusetts, the International Graduate School and Drake University.
In 1961, the BENSMILLERs moved to Mount Pleasant, where Mrs. BENSMILLER began a long career with Iowa Wesleyan College, first as assistant professor of English and later as an associate professor. She was the director of freshman English from 1964-1993 and chair of the division language and literature from 1978-1990. In 1970, she originated The Writing Laboratory.
She had several poems published in a variety of religious, prefessional and college journals and had judged numerous national and state poetry contests since 1983.
Mrs. BENSMILLER was a member of the Modern Language Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Association of American University Professors, the Academy of American Poets, the Iowa Poetry Association, the National Federation of Poetry Societies, Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honorary Fraternity, the PEO Sisterhood, Chapter Original A of Mount Pleasant and First United Methodist Church of Mount Pleasant.
Survivors include one son, Robert BENSMILLER and wife Pat of Mount Pleasant; three brothers, John ROYER of West Burlington, Joe ROYER of Burlington and William ROYER of Burlington; and three grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two sons, William BENSMILLER and John BENSMILLER; one sister, Marjorie LILLARD; and five brothers, Richard, Thomas, Charles "Kenny," Jim and Robert ROYER.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.
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