Louis Thomas Benjamin 1950 - 2017

BENJAMIN, HEISTERKAMP

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/17/2017 at 20:24:22

Onawa Democrat
30 August 2017

Louis T. Benjamin, 67, of Onawa, Iowa, died Thursday, August 24, 2017, at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.

A funeral mass will be 10:30 A.M. Monday, August 28, 2017, at St. John's Catholic Church in Onawa, with Father Michael Erpelding, Celebrant, officiating. Burial will follow in the Onawa Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 – 8:00 P.M. Sunday, August 27, 2017, at the Rush Family Chapel in Onawa, with a scriptural wake service at 7:00 P.M., followed by the Rosary at 7:30 P.M. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.

Louis Thomas Benjamin was born on April 20, 1950, in Onawa, the oldest son of Maurice Louis and Verla Louise (Heisterkamp) Benjamin, and the twin brother to Louise. He grew up on the family farm between Onawa and Whiting, and graduated with honors from Whiting Community School in 1968. He received one of four Bausch and Lomb Science Awards given in Iowa that year. He then attended Briar Cliff College in Sioux City.

He worked as a parts man for Heisterkamp Implement in Onawa and Sloan for a year and a half, and then worked as parts manager for Hamann-Sauser Implement of Anthon for over four years. He then started and ran his own farm supply store, Benjamin Trading Company, in Anthon for six years. After selling his store, Louis sold advertising for two years for Dorweiler Publishing of Anthon.

Louis was a member of the Anthon Fire Department for eleven years, the Anthon Rescue Squad and Ambulance for ten years, and the Anthon City Council for six years. He studied emergency medicine at St. Joseph's, St. Vincent's, and St. Luke's Hospitals of Sioux City, and became an EMT-A, EMT-B, and EMT-I. He also taught EMT classes to rural area rescue squad members at WIT's Mapleton campus.
He sold modular and manufactured homes for eighteen years, fifteen years of which were as sales manager for Sunrise Housing of Iowa Falls. He was very proud that most of his customers came as direct referrals from other happy customers. His parents had taken the family on yearly vacations to the Iowa State Fair and around Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota, so when Louis won trips for selling houses, he took his mother or siblings as his trip companions. These trips included Switzerland, England, Mexico, two cruises to the Virgin Islands, two cruises to the Western Caribbean, and one cruise to the Southern Caribbean.

Louis was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Onawa, and was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus Council 6249 of Onawa. He also was a member of the Lewis and Clark State Park Corps of Discovery in Onawa.

Survivors include his mother, Verla Louise Benjamin of Onawa, IA; twin sister, Dr. Louise Benjamin Ph.D of Manhattan, KS; other siblings, Leo (Diane) Benjamin of Whiting, IA, Deacon Dr. Joseph (Carol) Benjamin Ph.D of Akron, CO, Ed Benjamin of Onawa, IA, Francis "Frank" (Laurie) Benjamin of Fort Dodge, IA, and Regina (David) Bakker of Dodgeville, WI; fourteen nieces and nephews; seven great-nieces and great-nephews; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Maurice Louis Benjamin; one brother, Matthew Louis Benjamin; and one nephew, Andrew James "A.J." Benjamin.

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