Marjorie 'Mardi' Benson

Marjorie “Mardi” Benson

Marjorie “Mardi” Benson, age 87, longtime resident of Arvilla, ND passed away on Thursday, November 22, 2012 at the Larimore (ND) Good Samaritan Center.

Marjorie June Pietron was born February 24, 1925 the daughter of John and Justina (Zurr) Pietron, rural Kempton, ND. She attended grade school in Kempton; the family moved to Arvilla, then she graduated from Larimore High School. After graduation she was employed at Maves Optical in Grand Forks, ND making prism for gun sights for the war effort. She entered the US Navy Waves and served from April 1945 until August 1946. Her “Boot” Training was at Hunter College in the Bronx, New York. She was later stationed at the Naval Air Station in Memphis, Tennessee. After discharge, she returned to North Dakota and attended beauty school. She was a board certified cosmetologist and was a member until 2006, receiving a 50 year certificate from the state of North Dakota. Mardi met and married Robert “Bob” Benson on November 9, 1948 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where they were both employed. The couple returned to Arvilla, ND where they started Bob Benson Construction Company in 1948. She worked as a beautician in Larimore and raised her family of three sons and 2 daughters. Mardi was very active in her community of Arvilla and surrounding area. She was a 60 year member of the American Legion Auxiliary; a life time member of the Emerado-Arvilla Lioness Club being secretary of the club for 10 years; she received the Melvin E. Jones Award, the highest award in Lions. Mardi was a lifelong member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Larimore, the St. Mary Madeline Circle; and was very involved in the various aspects of her church. She was a leader of the Wild Rose 4-H Club and very active in the club; a member of the Arvilla Community Club; the Arvilla Home Makers; volunteer hair dresser in the Larimore Good Samaritan Center; she served 20 years in the US Postal Service both in Arvilla and Larimore. Mardi was preceded in death by her husband Bob October, 1987; her parents and grandparents.

Mardi is survived by three sons, Bradley (Pauline) Benson of Aberdeen, SD, Dale (Sylvia) Benson of Farmington, MN, Rick(Carrie) Benson of Grafton, ND; two daughters, Claudia (Rod) Dockter of Bismarck, and Marguerite Benson of Larimore; 14 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; one brother, Valoise “Bud” (Mabel) Pietron of Grand Forks; and one sister, Jeanette Pietron.

VISITATION: Monday, November 26 2012 from noon to 5 PM in the Brown Funeral Home; one hour before rosary on Monday at the church and one hour before Mass on Tuesday at the church.

ROSARY/FAMILY SERVICE: Monday, November 26, at 7:00 PM in St. Stephen’s Church, Larimore.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 10:30 AM in St. Stephen’s Catholic Church

INTERMENT: Bellevue Cemetery, Larimore, ND

ARRANGEMENTS: BROWN FUNERAL HOME, LARIMORE, ND

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