Allan L. Benson, age, 96, of Lynnwood, WA., and formerly of rural Flandreau, S.D., died Friday, February 7, 2014, at Birch Manor Adult Family Home, Lynnwood, WA.
Allan Louis Benson was born November 21, 1917, at the family farm, south of Flandreau, SD, to Ivar and Lena (Lorentson) Benson. He was the eighth of ten children. He attended Blinsmon #9 country school his first 8 grades;then attending Trent, Egan and Flandreau high schools, depending on where the transportation was available. He graduated high school in 1935. He started farming the family farm and also had a trucking business, and other odd jobs. He met his future wife, LaVonne S. Herrick, but was drafted by Selective Service in the Army in 1942. He was shipped to multiple bases for training;he started pilot training in Columbia, Missouri and attended college at University of Missouri. The war heightened and he was sent to the East Coast. Shortly before he was to be sent out to the Atlantic, LaVonne, took a troop train to Dover, Maryland, where they got married on February 17, 1945. Shortly after they got married, his orders changed, and he had new orders to ship to the Pacific theater. His wife went to South Dakota and later moved to Los Angeles, CA. to be closer to her family. Allan was sent to Okinawa, where he assisted Army aircraft loading bombs. After WWII was over, he went to Los Angeles, CA. to pick up his bride and caught a ride back to South Dakota.
On January 6, 1947, their only child, Bonnie Jean was born. Allan was a lifelong member of Oslo Lutheran Church, rural Jasper, MN. Later, Oslo and Bethania, merged and became Messiah Lutheran Church. A new church was constructed across the road from Oslo Church. He served on many committees and was involved in many activities in the community, 4H, American Legion, Luther League, Lutheran Brotherhood, Chuck Wagon feeds, watched and supported local sports teams, etc. He farmed until 1980, when the farm was sold.
In April 1980, he and his wife, moved to Federal Way, WA., to be near their daughter and her family. They helped with babysitting the grandchildren, Stacey Marin and Jeffrey Allan Collins. Allan enjoyed taking them fishing at the Edmonds city pier, after they moved to Mountlake Terrace, WA. They were members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, WA. They purchased the condominium they were renting for years. About 2007, health problems forced them to move to an assisted living center, Merrill Gardens, Northgate Plaza, which was up the street from their daughter. LaVonne had multiple hospitalizations with pneumonias and in October of 2009, she was moved to an adult family home and passed away January 2010. In August 2010, he was hospitalized with serious renal problems and infections. He moved in with his daughter in 2011 for two years. Multiple hospitalizations and subsequent rehab care forced him to need more care, so he moved to Birch Manor where he succumbed.
Survivors include one daughter, Bonnie(Roger)Chouinard of Shoreline, WA. Two grandchildren Stacey(Aaron)Collins-Roos and Jeffrey(Lisa)Collins. Three great-granddaughters, Kaitlyn and Austen Collins, Hayden Roos. 19 nieces and 14 nephews, one brother-in-law Jim Martinson, of Carlsbad, CA. and one sister-in-law Betty Benson of Fargo, N.D.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ivar and Lena Benson, his brothers and sisters, Myrtle(Nels)Sorenson, James(Cora)Benson, Lillian(Clifford)Ingemann, Hazel(Tilmer)Tollefson, Raymond(Ruth)Benson, Francis(Elmira)Benson, Edna Benson, Rev. Leonard(Noreen)Benson, Lyle Benson(Betty) ,brother-in-laws, Lloyd(Gladys)Herrick, Dale(Katherine)Herrick, Lester(Wilma)Herrick, Myron(Mildred)Herrick,Dean(Fay)Herrick and sister-in-laws, Nina(Gerald)Martinson, Doris Martinson, 11 nephews and 3 nieces.
His memorial is being held, Friday, February 21, 2014, at two pm, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 3215 Larch Way , Lynnwood, WA. Coffee, drinks and desserts following the service.