BANGOR and MILLINOCKET – Donald Herbert Benson, 93, died Sept. 19, 2004, at a Bangor hospital. He was born April 28, 1911, in West Milan, N.H., the son of Charles A. and Tiny (Heath) Benson. In 1918, he moved to Brunswick where he attended school. He was very active in athletics and ultimately played semi-pro baseball. He served six years in the Home Guard and the National Guard of the United States, serving with Battery “G”, 1st Squad, 240th C.A.C. In 1936, he enrolled in the National Institute of Crime Detection in Fremont, Neb., graduating in the top 5 of his class. On Nov. 11, 1937, he married Anna G. Smith of Bath. He was employed by Bath Iron Works, Corp. for 12 years. During this period, he served as a councilman in the city government for several years. In 1949, he moved to Whitinsville, Mass. accepting employment as a supervisor of quality control in Whitin Machine Works. This was followed by the advancement to supervisor of Sub-Contract Quality Control and ultimately became an Analyst in the Research Dept. Later, he accepted the position of supervisor of Inventory Control at the Harrington Richardson Co. of Worcester, Mass. Mr. Benson was very active in central Massachusetts politics. His career was highlighted by being a guest at the late President Dwight Eisenhower’s 62nd birthday party and the friendship of the late President Richard Nixon. In 1972, he retired and moved to Millinocket where he served on the planning board for three years, and ten years on the Millinocket Housing Corp. board of directors. He also served on the Bowdoin College Peary Macmillan Arctic Museum Committee for five years. In 1995, he won four medals in the Maine Senior Games in Bangor, three gold medals and one silver. He is survived by his wife, Anna G.; one son, Donald A., both of Millinocket; his grandchildren, Thomas Benson, of Jacksonville, Fla., John Benson of Millinocket, Wanda Dami of Whitefield, N.H., Travis Benson of Biddeford; and 12 great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by three brothers, Carl, Fred, and Orrin; two sisters, Charlotte Melley and Wilda Coffin. Services will be private for the family. A service of Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor.
DONALD H. BENSON
