Benson, Jean Ardelle 1922-1993

BENSON, PONDER, TOWNSEND, SPARKS, ULREY, WILCOX, SCHRULL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 10/7/2009 at 12:06:40

Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Feb. 1, 1993

JEAN ARDELLE BENSON

Jean Ardelle Benson, 70, of Montezuma died Wednesday, Jan. 27, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Funeral services were conducted Saturday at the Wallace-Pence Funeral Home in Newton, with the Rev. Brian Carter, pastor of the Montezuma United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial was in Newton Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorials in her name may be made to the Montezuma Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Service.

She was the daughter of Eugene and Ethel Ponder Townsend and was born Feb. 12, 1922, in Kellogg. She graduated from Kellogg High School in 1939.

She was married to Merle Royce Benson Sept. 12, 1943, east of Newton. A homemaker, Mrs. Benson was a member of the Montezuma United Methodist Church and was a past president of the Montezuma American Legion Auxiliary. She was active in the Montezuma Congregate Meals program.

Surviving are four sons, Carroll of rural Montezuma, Donald of Kellogg and Stan and Steve, both of Montezuma; three daughters, Bonnie Sparks of Lynnville, Jean Ulrey of Grinnell and Barb Wilcox of Montezuma; 15 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one step-grandson and two step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Merle; one son, Kenneth; and a stepsister, Isabelle Schrull.