Mary Louise "Winkie" Benson

OTTAWA - Mary Louise "Winkie" Benson, 93, of Ottawa, passed away Monday March 12, 2012 at Pleasant View. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 19, 2012 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Ottawa with the Reverend Lisa Hadler officiating. Burial will follow in Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 18th at Gladfelter Funeral Home. Mary was born April 30, 1918 in Oglesby, a daughter of Andrew Martin and Olga Emma Haskins Corbus. The family moved to Ottawa in 1919. She married Floyd L. Benson December 19, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia. Five days later Floyd was shipped to Europe during World War II. He preceded her in death August 6, 1998. She is survived by her three sons, Frederic Corbus (Phoulalith) Benson of Greensboro NC, George William (Ellen) Benson of Chicago and Phillip Andrew Benson of Sun City AZ; four grandchildren, John Frederic, Karen Louisa, Geoffrey Calahan and Andrew Cronin Benson; three great grandchildren, Noah, Caleb and Isabella Benson; and her nieces and nephews, Andrew Corbus, Eileen Teske, Martha Duke and Mary Jo Enders. Her brother, George Corbus, preceded her in death. Mary was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ where she was the church organist from 1952 to 1985 and where she spearheaded the campaign for a new organ in 1972. She was a 1936 graduate of Ottawa Township High School. In 1940 she graduated from the Conservatory of Music of Oberlin College earning a major in piano and a minor in organ. She was the church organist for the Peru Congregational Church from 1940 to 1945 and taught piano for several years in the Peru and Ottawa area. Mary was a member of the Amateur Musical Club, PEO Sisterhood (Chapter EH), Zetema Club and Monday Club. Mary was an avid supporter of the Community Concert Association. She thoroughly enjoyed her many world travels.