Blocked

                   Julesburg Advocate
Thursday, February 15, 1996
page 3

Obituary

Benner

Memorial services for Charles H. Benner, 73, will be held Saturday, February 17, 1996 at 2:30 P.M., at the Mennonite Church in Julesburg with the Rev. Arthur Roth officiating.  Interment will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebr.  He died on Thursday, February 8, 1996 in the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island, Nebr.

He was born on October 27, 1922 to Henry J. and Dora L. (Ditson) Benner at the family farm in Ridgley Township southwest of Scribner, Nebr.  He attended District 12 School in Ridgley through the tenth grade and graduated from Scribner High School in 1939.  After graduation he farmed with his father before entering the United States Army Air Corps Division for training as a pilot, in April, 1944.

On June 2, 1945 in Yuma, Ariz., he was united in marriage to Florence Elaine Brandenburg.  After his discharge from the service later that year, the couple returned to Scribner to make their home.  While in Scribner, he worked for the Sinclair service station.  He also drove truck for Magnusson and Clough Trucking of Uehling, Nebr.  He started his own trucking operation which he operated for 11 years and managed the Scribner Co-op for 10 years.

Four children were born to the couple during their years in Scribner: Todd Ryan in 1947, Mary Beth in 1952, John Reed in 1954 and Gail Anne in 1961 and in June of 1966 on the couple's 21st wedding anniversary, their youngest child, Scot Alan was born.

In 1964 the family moved to Venango, Nebr., where he served as manager for the Farmer's Union Co-op Grain Company for 14 years.  During his years in Venango, he was a member of the American Legion and the Lions' Club and served as a school board member for the Venango Public School.

In 1982, the Benners moved to Julesburg, where he was manager for Kinnie Grain Company.  The couple joined the Mennonite Church in Julesburg. Later he worked for the farming operation of Bruce Holcombe of Big Springs, Nebr., until his first stroke in October of 1987.

He spent his later years in the Veterans Hospital in Cheyenne, WY. and Grand Island, Nebr.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henty J. and Dora L. Benner and his only brother, Robert E. Benner.  He is survived by his wife, Florence of Julesburg;  sons and daughters-in-law, Todd of Lincoln, Nebr.,  John and wife Lori of Smithfield, Nebr., Scot and wife Julie of Omaha, Nebr. and daughters and sons-in-law Mary Ingram and husband Doug of Cozad, Nebr. and Gail and husband Gary Elsasser of Oakland, Nebr.;  eight grandsons and three granddaughters.