Ona K. Benson

Ona K. Benson, 87,  a longtime Stewartville,MN resident, passed away on Saturday (July 14, 2018) at Seasons Hospice in Rochester,MN.                                                                                          

Ona Kathryn Moen was born on October 21, 1930, in Crookston, MN, to Albert and Ruth (Holen) Moen.  She grew up on the family farm in rural Fertile,MN  and graduated from Fertile High School in 1948.  After graduation from Aakers Business School in Grand Forks, ND, in 1949, she was employed by the State of North Dakota and later worked in Minneapolis, MN.  On December 3, 1953, she was united in marriage to Jerome S. Benson in Minneapolis..  Following their marriage they lived in various states until moving to Stewartville.  Mr. Benson died in 1966.  In 1967, Ona was employed as a secretary in the administration office at the Stewartville High School and was the Superintendent’s executive secretary  when she retired in 1992. She was a longtime active member of the Stewartville United Methodist Church  and volunteered at the Stewartville Historical Society.  Ona enjoyed gardening, quilting, reading, Norwegian food and spending time with friends and family, especially her grandkids and great grandkids.

The family wishes to thank  Seasons Hospice and Root River Estates in  Stewartville  for the kind and compassionate care of our mother. 

Ona is survived by her 4 children- Julie (Rocky) Sheldon and Wanda (Fredrick) Rhodes, both of Rochester; Wayne (Suzanne) of Owatonna, MN, and Davis (Diane) of Mason City, IA;  5 grandchildren – Shannon(Steven) Moore, Matthew(Jess) Sheldon, Onalee(Wayne) Finseth, Trevor Rhodes and Andrew Benson; 6 great grandchildren - Samson, Sylvia, Lillian, Aurelia, Iris and Willem; two sisters, Betty (Robert) Lee of Staples, MN; and Carol (Marshall) Guntzburger of Grand Forks, ND; her good friends Joan and Chuck Koestler; and many nieces and nephews.  Ona is preceded in death by her husband - Jerome, great granddaughter - Shelby Lynn, her parents and a sister – Avis and her husband – Loren Lindahl.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. on  Wednesday (July 18,  2018)  at the Stewartville United Methodist Church with Rev. Wane Souhrada officiating.   A private family burial will be held prior to the funeral service at Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville. A time of visitation for family and friends will take place from 5 to 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday (July 17,  2018)  at Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville, and one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday afternoon. Condolences are welcome at www.griffin-gray.com

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