Mark Amussen Benson (1929 - 2012): Our Family History

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1929 - 2012 (83 years)

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Name	Mark Amussen Benson
Birth	2 May 1929	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
Christening	9 Jun 1929	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
Gender	Male
Initiatory (LDS)	22 Apr 1948	SLAKE
FamilySearch ID	KW86-5CV
Death	29 Jul 2012	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
Burial	4 Aug 2012	Whitney Cemetery, Franklin, Idaho, United States
Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
Person ID	I17099	mytree
Last Modified	25 Feb 2024

Father	Ezra Taft Benson, b. 4 Aug 1899, Whitney, Franklin, Idaho, United States d. 30 May 1994, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 94 years)
Mother	Flora Smith Amussen, b. 1 Jul 1901, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States d. 14 Aug 1992, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 91 years)
Marriage	10 Sep 1926	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
Family ID	F329	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family Lela Wing, b. 17 Apr 1931, Raymond, Warner, Alberta, Canada d. 29 Sep 2016, Draper, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 85 years)

Marriage 30 Dec 1952 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

Notes

Email received from Steve Duncan.

Children

	1. Living
	2. Living
	3. Living
	4. Living
	5. Living
	6. Living

Family ID F8455 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 21 Apr 2024

Event Map

	Birth - 2 May 1929 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
	Christening - 9 Jun 1929 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
	Initiatory (LDS) - 22 Apr 1948 - SLAKE
	Marriage - 30 Dec 1952 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
	Death - 29 Jul 2012 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
	Burial - 4 Aug 2012 - Whitney Cemetery, Franklin, Idaho, United States

= Link to Google Earth

Photos
Benson, Mark A b1929

Benson, Mark A b1929

Headstones
Benson, Mark A b1929

Notes

Obituary:
Mark Amussen Benson, age 83, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 2 9 , 2 012, at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a short illness. H e s pent the last hours of his life with all of his family around him.

Mark was born on May 2, 1929, in Salt Lake City, to Ezra Taft and Flor a S mith Amussen Benson, the second eldest of six children. His Childhoo d yea rs were spent in Boise, Idaho; Berkeley, California; and Bethesda , Maryla nd. Mark nearly died as a young man from asthma but was cared fo r and nur tured by his loving parents and family. When the Bensons reloca ted to Uta h, Mark graduated from East High School and later earned a bac helor's deg ree in sociology from Brigham Young University in 1952. He co ntinued hi s studies at Stanford University where he earned a master's de gree in edu cation in 1953.

While at BYU, Mark was active in a host of organizations, including Ph i E ta Sigma, Blue Key, and served as Homecoming chairman. The highligh t of M ark's time at BYU, however, was when he met, courted, and marrie d Lela Wi ng of Raymond, Alberta, Canada. They were sealed in the Salt La ke Templ e on December 30, 1952. Mark and Lela made their home in Utah, T exas, an d Indiana, and would become the parents of six children, 34 gran dchildren , and 21 great-grandchildren. Mark's greatest moments in life w ere the ti mes he spent with his family on outings, at concerts, at sport ing events , and at family reunions. All of them will always remember hi s example o f Christ-like charity and his undeviating devotion to the res tored Gospel .

Professionally, Mark had aspirations of becoming an educational administ r ator and he pursued this path being named the first director of the BY U A dult Education Center in Ogden, Utah. However, as a gifted speaker, s kill ed marketer, and consummate salesman, Mark followed his innate talen ts an d was hired in his first sales position with Rena-Ware Distributors . Mar k was then recruited to be a regional and, subsequently, a nationa l manag er for the Saladmaster Corporation of Dallas, Texas. He would eve ntuall y become president of a Saladmaster division, Castlewick Corporati on. Hi s community service included membership in the Salt Lake City Rota ry Clu b and President of the Pioneer Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneer s.

While his professional obligations always kept Mark busy, he never "refu s ed a calling nor resisted release" within the LDS Church, a principl e h e always taught his family and missionaries. From an early age, Mark' s pa rents instilled in him a love for the Holy Scriptures, particularl y the B ook of Mormon and his life-long Church service reflected this abi ding com mitment. He influenced countless lives for good through his serv ice, an d his church callings which included: full-time missionary in th e Easter n States Mission; Home Teacher; High Councilor; Mission Presiden t of th e Indiana-Michigan Mission; Member of the YM/YW General Board; Re gional R epresentative; Bishop; Stake President; Patriarch; and Sealer i n the Sal t Lake Temple. Mark was able to seal four of his grandchildre n to their s pouses in the last few weeks of his life, much to the joy o f his family . The memories of these recent sealings will remain with Mar k's family fo rever. Three of Mark's grandchildren are currently servin g full-time L D S missions.

Mark is survived by his faithful and loving wife of 60 years, Lela, an d t heir six children: Stephen Reed of Gilbert, Arizona; Stephanie Youn g (Dav id) of Sandy, Utah; Stacey Ann Reeder (Martin) of South Jordan, Ut ah; Mar garet Ferry (Benjamin) of Corinne, Utah; Mary Richards (Ryan) o f Pleasan t Grove, Utah; and Michael Taft (Debi) of Cedar City, Utah. H e is also su rvived by his five loyal and loving siblings: Reed (May), Ba rbara Walke r (Robert, deceased), Beverly Parker (James), Bonnie Madsen ( Lowell), an d Beth Burton (David). The family wishes to extend their prof ound gratitu de to Mark's doctors and caregivers, especially to the dedic ated staff o f Care Source. They also give particular thanks to Mark an d Lela's faithf ul home teacher of over 30 years, Dr. Merrill Wilson, t o the members of t he Ensign 1st Ward, and to their dear friends and fait hful neighbors, Ver non and Loretta Rice.

A viewing will be held at the Larkin Mortuary (260 East South Temple ) o n Friday, August 3rd, from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be hel d in t he Ensign Stake Center (135 "A" Street) on August 4th (the birthda y of Ma rk Benson's father, President Ezra Taft Benson) at 11 a.m. A view ing wil l also be held prior to the services from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at th e Ensign S take Center. Interment services will be held in Whitney, Idaho .