Genevieve Benson

Genevieve Geise Benson, age 91, Clark, the widow of Max Benson, died peacefully at home in the care of her family Saturday evening, December 12, 2009. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 11AM in the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with the Reverend Robin Schaunaman officiating. Music will be provided by Dorothy Fuller as organist and Brenda LaBrie as soloist. Burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. The honorary casket bearers will be her granddaughters, Erica Owens, Kristina Antonen, Angela Benson, Betsy Benson, Megan Merkel, Lindsey Richards, Rebecca Kates, Jill Hamburg and Katie Ford. The active casket bearers will be grandsons, Scott Benson, Jeff Benson, Matt Benson, Michael Benson, Corey Zylstra, Jason Benson, Casey Benson and Jay Ryan. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 6-8PM at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel in Clark and after 10AM at the Church on Friday morning. Genevieve Geise Benson was born on January 3, 1918 in Clark, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Oscar and Edna Geise. Gen remained a lifelong resident of Clark County. A 1936 graduate of Clark High School, she later attended Business School in Mitchell, South Dakota. She married Max Benson on July 21, 1940. After a brief period in Minnesota, the couple returned to Clark in 1942. Together they farmed land just north of Clark. Gen and Max had three sons and two daughters. Gen was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark. She participated in her community freely volunteering her talents to many civic and church projects. Gen enjoyed a variety of interests. She was active in P.E.O. As a member of the Doll Club, she collected and restored antique dolls. An accomplished artist, her works in oils and acrylics were well received. She and Max were avid golfers and celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a golf tournament. Gen truly enjoyed the challenge and camaraderie of bridge and rarely missed a chance to play. She liked gardening and had a keen interest in learning about plants and their care. Gens love for and personal history with Clark ran deep. Along with her husband, Max, she recorded and collected the history of Clark and Clark County. They often shared their knowledge with residents and visitors who were trying to learn more about their heritage. Gen Benson loved her family and looked forward to the familys tradition of coming together for an annual pheasant hunt. The hunt and reunion draws four generations of Bensons. She is survived by her daughter Jean ( Fred) Ford, Austin, TX; sons, Gail (Connie) Benson, Sioux, Falls, Jim (Kathy) Benson, Spearfish Canyon and Bob (Marlys) Benson, Clark; 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Doris Geise, Clark. Gen is preceded in death by her husband, Max, her daughter, Carole, her parents, her sister, Lois and her brother, Elwin. Memorials may be directed to the Prairie Lakes Hospice, Watertown or the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Clark. Arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com