Gwendola E. Benton

Funeral Services for Gwendola E. Benton will be conducted from the First Christian Church in Elwood, Nebraska on Monday, April 30, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. with Mr. Darrel Wissmann, PMA, officiating. Interment will be in the Elwood Cemetery.

Gwendola Elaine "Gwen" Benton, 90 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska, passed away on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at the Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Gwen was born October 6, 1916 at Holdrege, the only child of Robert and Aldena Marie "Mary" (Nelson) Mays. She received her education at Holdrege, graduating from Holdrege High School with the class of 1934.

Following her education, Gwen was united in marriage to Milroy Wilbur Benton on December 25, 1937 at Elwood and to this union four daughters were born: Janice, Shirley, Deanna and Connie. The family made their home in Elwood, where Gwen focused her efforts on raising their daughters. She was also employed as a bookkeeper for the Independent Oil Company in Elwood. In 1966, the family moved to Holdrege, where Gwen worked as a dispatcher for the Holdrege Police Station for several years. On April 3, 2001 she was preceded in death by her husband, Milroy.

She was a member of the First Christian Church in Elwood, where Gwen taught Sunday school and was the Sunday School Superintendent for several years. Gwen was also a thirty-seven year member of the Rebekah Lodge of Elwood and Holdrege, was a charter member of the Holdrege Genealogy Club and was active with the Holdrege Senior Center. Gwen loved genealogy, knitting, playing cards and spending time with her family and friends.

She leaves to mourn her passing her four daughters: Janice Duey of Johnson Lake, Nebraska, Shirley Lindner and her husband, Russ of Holdrege, Deanna Fulmer of Holdrege and Connie Vaughn and her husband, Stan of Bertrand, Nebraska; eighteen grandchildren; thirty great-grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren; two sisters-in-law: Theresa Benton of Cozad, Nebraska and Leona Bennett of Gibbon, Nebraska and special cousin, Dorothy Nelson of Loomis, Nebraska.

Besides her husband, Gwen was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, James Milroy Woodburn; and three sons-in-law: Don Duey, Ralph Woodburn and Jay Magill.

Mrs. Benton will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Sunday, April 29, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

A memorial has been established in her memory.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.