BENSON, Alan Earle

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 09/09/2014 Alan Earle Benson of Scottsdale died Aug. 29, 2014, in American Fork, Utah, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born Dec. 28, 1936, in Worcester, Mass., the seventh child of Carl Iver Benson and Carrie Belle Earle Benson. Alan attended Tatnuck School, Sever Street Preparatory School and Westwood High School. He also attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force and serving 1958-62. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Arizona State University. In 1970, he married Rauna Rae Platt. In 1971, the family moved to a farm near Hartville, Mo., where they built a home and raised beef cattle. Alan taught math and geography at Mountain Grove High School 1971-77 and taught earth science in night classes at Drury College. He served as vice principal at MGHS 1977-1990. Mr. B was principal of MGHS 1990-95, supervising the reconstruction of a major part of the high school after the 1991 fire. After retirement, Alan and Rauna took to the road in an RV and traveled all over North America, even working in campgrounds and also working at the Lawrence Welk Theatre in Branson, Mo. They served a humanitarian service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ningbo, China, 1996-98, teaching English to college and vocational students. In 2000-2001, they went to Dalian, China, for Southwest Missouri State University to teach English at a branch campus. In 2006 they returned to Dalian to teach for one semester. Alan is survived by his wife, Rauna of Scottsdale; children Ryan Hendrickson of Pahoa, Hawaii, Renee Neilsen Hawkes of Logan, Utah, Romy (Frank) Boyce of Maricopa, Raquel Hendrickson of Camp Verde, OT (Julie) Benson of Clarkston, Mich., and Carrie Pereyra (Hector) of Lehi, Utah; his siblings, Mildred Parsons, Lydia Groth and Donald Benson; 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded by his parents; siblings Carl Ivar Benson Jr., Richard Tenney Benson and David Oscar Benson; and one grandchild. Services were held at the St. Johns LDS Chapel in St. Johns. Burial with military honors were held at the St. Johns Cemetery. Silver Creek Chapel Mortuary of Taylor handled arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alan E. Benson Memorial Scholarship Fund. Contact Carrie Benson Pereyra at carriebelle77@comcast.net for more information.