September 27, 1939 – February 15, 2022
Waunakee, WI – Robert H. Benson, age 82, of Waunakee passed to eternal life at UW-Hospital in Madison on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Bob was born on September 27, 1939, to Harry Burton Benson and Irene (Langman) Benson and graduated from Lodi High School in the Class of 1957. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1959. While in the service, Bob was part of a group searching for the Lady Be Good airplane that went down near Libya, Africa during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1961 after serving a tour of duty in Germany. Bob worked for U.W.-Madison, Animal & Dairy Science Department as a Dairy Herdsman for 36 years, retiring in 2000. He enjoyed taking care of the cattle. Bob received associate degrees from Madison Business College in Real Estate and Animal Tech. He married Betty Sorensen (nee Otteson) on August 5, 1972, and she died on March 19, 1983.
Bob met his bride Anne Nereim at Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison where they were married on February 21, 1987. They were soon going to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary. Bob belonged to XYZ Club for Seniors at Bethel where he played euchre very well. He enjoyed eating noon meals at the Waunakee Senior Center where he was known for not leaving a scrap of food on his plate. Bob kept the yard around their home nicely groomed and liked to mow patterns in the grass. He also loved keeping up their house. They enjoyed raising 3 dogs and 3 cats. After Bob and Anne retired, they traveled extensively around the United States, and always brought along their dog Lexie while making several trips to Florida, the Northwestern States and one trip to New England. Bob was also a fan of the Badgers and Packer football teams.
Bob is survived by his loving wife, Anne; his siblings, Barbara Mongrain of Oxnard, CA, Donna Hume of Green Bay, Shirley Schumacher of Eau Claire, Marion Sommerfeldt of Shawano, Lloyd (Donna) of Dane, Judith Benson Brendel of Anchorage, AK, Harry P. (Peggy) of Lodi, Gladys (Richard) Doyscher of Frederic, William of Verona and Richard of Madison. He is further survived by nieces and nephews, Greg & Cort Mongrain, Carolyn Long, Douglas (Sheri) Sorensen, Cindy (Curtis) Kolpien, Charles (Brittany) Schumacher, Scott (Angela) Benson, Laura (Scott) Galarowicz, Christy (Chris) Dailey, Georg (Jaylee) Brendel Jr, Jennifer (Tim) Rake, Jeffrey (Jennifer) Benson, Jaime Benson, Ginger (Tony) Duckert, Bridget Benson, Anna (Brad) Nereim, Elizabeth Wilder, Laura (John) Chastan, Ted (Carrie) Wilder; great-nieces/nephews; and other family and friends.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Harry & Irene; his first wife, Betty; brothers-in-law, Leo Mongrain, Edward Hume, Paul Sorensen, Marvin Schumacher, Larry Sommerfeldt, Georg Brendel Sr, and Tom Nereim.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 25, 2022, at Winn-Cress Funeral Home, 5785 Co Rd Q, Waunakee, WI 53597 with Reverend Roger Black presiding. Visitation will start at 10:00 a.m. on Friday until the time of the service. Burial will take place at Sunset Memory Gardens, 7302 Mineral Point Rd, Madison at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The service will be livestreamed. Please visit www.cressfuneralservice.com to access the link to register for the livestream service.
Memorials may be made to the Sauk County Humane Society, 618 Linn Street, Baraboo, WI 53913 or the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, 6314 Odana Rd., Suite 4, Madison, WI 53719.
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