John Donald ‘Donnie’ Benson was born Sept. 27, 1920 to John L. and Blanche Amanda Larson Benson. He died Mar. 21, 1979 and is buried in Homewood Cemetery, Ellsworth, IA.
John served with the U.S. Navy in World War II aboard the USS St. Louis when it was torpedoed in the South Pacific.
His Obituary: South Hamilton Record News - Jewell, IA - Mar. 29, 1979
John “Donnie” Benson, age 58, of Ankeny died Wednesday, March 21, at Mercy Medical Center following heart surgery. John also suffered from Parkinson Disease.
John was born near Alden, Iowa on Sept. 27, 1920 and was baptized and confirmed in Trinity Lutheran Church at Ellsworth. Prior to his retirement, he was a plumber. John attended school at Ellsworth.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was serving aboard the U.S.S. St. Louis in the South Pacific when it was torpedoed, and he spent many of the following months in the Naval Hospital at Pearl Harbor.
Survivors include his mother, Blanche Benson of Sunnyview Rest Home of Ankeny; two sisters, Mrs. Phyllis DeMoss of Ankeny and Mrs. Vivian Holland of Decorah; three brothers, Frank, Myron and Richard of Des Moines and also many nieces and nephews.
John was well-known for his generosity and kind ways. He was the first Life Member of the Ankeny V.F.W. Post 9123. He visited daily at Sunnyview Care Center, at Christmas, he always donned a Santa suit and distributed gifts to all the residents at Sunnyview.
Military services for John were held Saturday, March 24, at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church at Ankeny. Burial was in the family plot at Homewood Cemetery at Ellsworth. His father, three sisters and one brother preceded him in death.
Ankeny Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Following the graveside service at Homewood Cemetery for John Benson of Ankeny, 35 relatives and members of the Ellsworth American Legion Color Guard were guests of Mrs. Del Johnson in her home. Miss Mabelle Twedt, Mrs. Martha Magnussen and Miss Arlene Skartvedt were co-hostesses.
Source: ancestry.com
