Elizabeth Anne (Wilson) Benson

October 5, 1910 – November 8, 1983

Elizabeth Benson, 73, resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico since 1968, died peacefully at her home in Santa Fe on Tuesday.

Born October 5, 1910, she was the daughter of William X. Wilson and Alice Hosie Wilson. She graduated from Perry high in 1928 and continued her education at the Draughon’s Business college in Oklahoma City. Upon completion she moved back to Perry and worked at the Treeman and Munger Store.

On May 4, 1929, Elizabeth and Otto Marshall were married in Perry. He was a ’24 PHS alumni and also attended Draughon’s Business College. After their marriage she resigned her position at Treeman and Munger and accepted a position in the office of Henry S. Johnston as his stenographer. Otto and Elizabeth were very active in the Christian Church Endeavor program. They divorced in August 1930.

Elizabeth continued working in Perry as the deputy to County Judge, James Ledbetter, before her enrollment at Oklahoma A. & M., Stillwater. While in college, on December 24, 1931, she and Arnold Benson were united in marriage in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Her husband was employed as an instructor of electrical engineering at the A. & M. college.

In 1937 Mr. Benson took a leave of absence to accept a position with the Arizona Edison company in Phoenix, Arizona. While the family was there they were blessed with a daughter, Whitney Ann. They returned to Stillwater for the 1939-40 term and Mr. Benson resumed teaching.

In August 1941 Mr. Benson accepted the chairmanship of the electrical engineering department at the University of Denver in Colorado. In 1943 he purchased the Pecos Light & Power Company in Pecos, New Mexico, where Elizabeth served as the executive secretary. They remained in Pecos until 1968, when they made their final move to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Elizabeth served as an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe and was active in church music for over 50 years.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Arnold, in January of 1980.

Survivors include her daughter, Whitney Woodworth of Santa Fe; grandson, Arnold P. Woodworth of Santa Fe, and Philip B. Woodworth of Point Loma, California; and a sister-in-law, Sybil Wilson of Oklahoma City.

Memorial services will be held at 7:00 p.m. this evening at Berardinelli Mortuary and Chapel. Burial will be at the Fairview Cemetery, Santa Fe. Memorials may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, 208 Grant Avenue, Santa Fe.