William Henry Benner

William Henry Benner, 97, passed away quietly at his home on February 8, 2012 after a long and remarkable life. Born in Riverside County, California on September 25, 1914 to Bancroft and Mary (Macy) Benner, he grew up in southern California and Idaho, and graduated from Pomona College before completing his medical training at Northwestern University in Chicago. He was married to Catherine Idstrom on September 28, 1943 at Camp Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She preceded him in death on November 19, 1988. He was also preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Bancroft Benner Jr (Adeline), Harriet Morris (Cecil), and Mary Benner; father- and mother-in-law Klas and Vera Idstrom; brothers- and sisters-in-law David and Kirsti Lerche and Eric and Anita Idstrom; daughter Amanda Benner, daughter-in-law Sally Benner, and granddaughter Amanda E. Benner. He is survived by his loving children William Benner (Paula), Susan Benner (John Meeks), and Jennifer Shaller (Dale); by adoring granddaughters Emily Benner (Allen Schrott), Aubree DiGennaro (Greg), Elizabeth Keely Vandre (Eric), and Claire Shaller; and by beloved nieces and nephews and their children. William served as a Captain in the US Army in World War II. He saw duty as a general medical officer in Burma and India and was honorably discharged in January 1946. William practiced medicine in Illinois and Grand Rapids, Michigan before coming to Saint Joseph, where he enjoyed a long career in the pathology partnership serving Mercy-Memorial Hospital. He also served as Berrien County Chief Medical Examiner from 1970 until his retirement in 1983. That is what he did; this is who he was – Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster; skilled physician; world traveler; good neighbor; faithful provider; generous gardener; sports fan; tree planter; wood splitter; storyteller; reader; puzzle-builder; memory whiz; national park visitor; tireless worker; and one-of-a-kind, unforgettable husband, father, and grandfather. A family celebration of his life will take place at his home when the rhododendrons bloom, after which his ashes will be mingled with those of his wife Catherine in the birch woods of northern Minnesota that they both loved. Donations to Sarett Nature Center, Pomona College Annual Fund, and the Salvation Army will honor his memory. Those wishing to sign William’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. The legacy that he and Catherine leave for their family is reflected in these words from one of his heroes, Winston Churchill: There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.