Obituary of Robert Benedict

Robert Benedict, 75, of Sarona, WI and Lake Fork, TX (formerly of Eau Claire, WI) passed away peacefully in his sleep with his family by his side on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at the Hospice Center of East Texas in Tyler, TX. He fought a courageous battle for 3 ½ years against esophageal cancer. He was born in Sparta, Wisconsin and graduated from Sparta High School. He attended Radio Announcing School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After graduation, he worked as a radio announcer at WSPT station in Stevens Point, WWIS station in Black River Falls, WDUX station in Waupaca, and WWIX station in La Crosse. In 1956 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was an Air Controller at the airbase at Kingsville, TX. He was a member of the Navy bowling team. After getting out of the Navy, he resumed work as a radio announcer. He also worked at Thorp Finance Company in Baraboo, WI and La Crosse, WI (made loans & collected bills). He decided to go to college and receive a BachelorÂ’s of Science (BS) degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 3 ½ years. He was on the college Table Tennis Team and went to Nationals. He was also on the college tennis team and qualified for the nationals as well. While going to college, he worked at the Radford Company unloading box cars and in the office. He was selected for WhoÂ’s Who In American Colleges and Universities. In 1958, he married Margaret Mikkelson and adopted two beautiful children. His first teaching job was teaching sixth grade at Wisconsin Rapids Mead Elementary School. Later, he took a job with a federal project at LaFarge, WI teaching emotionally disturbed students. At the same time, he went on to college and got his Masters of Science (MS) degree teaching emotionally disturbed children from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. Bob was one of the leaders in the State of Wisconsin in developing teaching techniques for emotionally disturbed children. He moved to Black River Falls, WI and taught EMR (Educable Mentally Retarded Children) at the high school level as part of a federal project. He obtained a License for Director of Special Education and was Assistant Director of Special Education for CESA at La Crosse under the direction of Richard Hentschel. He shared responsibilities in writing federal projects, responsible for hiring and training all the special education teachers for 26 school districts. In 1978, he was hired at District One Technical Institute (now Chippewa Valley Technical College) at Eau Claire, WI where he worked with the Project SERVE program for Students with Disabilities at the college level. He went on to assume additional duties as a Dean at the college in General Studies and worked there until his retirement in 1994. Bob loved being outdoors and was an avid hunter of pheasants, ducks, geese, squirrels, and deer. He also loved bass fishing so he and his friend Dick Wilson started the LaCrosse Bassmasters Bass Club in 1972 of which he was a member from 1972 to 1978. In 1978 he moved to Eau Claire, WI and joined the Indianhead Bassmasters Bass Club of which he was a member from 1978 to 1997. For one year he belonged to both bass clubs. In 1983, he married Linda Collinson. He taught her how to bass fish and golf. His wife Linda fished with him in numerous bass tournament events. After retirement, they moved to Lake Fork, Texas to enjoy fishing for BIG bass there and enjoy golfing during the winter months. They have lived in the Sarona, WI area since 1997. Bob is survived by his loving wife Linda; son, Bradley Benedict, Neenah, WI; daughter, Dawn (Daren) Jenson, Rogers, MN; step-daughter, Renae (Travis) Meservey, Eau Claire, WI; brother, Charles “Lynn” (Carol) Benedict, Melrose, WI; sister, Ann (Russell) Foth, Spencer, WI. He is also survived by granddaughter Drew Jenson and grandson Joshua Jenson of Rogers, MN; step-granddaughters Alexis Meservey and Kaitlyn Meservey, Eau Claire, WI. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents Harold and Margaret Benedict and granddaughter Devon Renae Jenson. A celebration of BobÂ’s life will be held at West Oaks Funeral Home, Sulphur Springs, TX with a visitation on Thursday, August 23, 2012 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Services will also be held at the Lanham Schanhofer Funeral Home in Sparta, WI on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 12 noon, with visitation from 11:00 to 12:00 prior to service time. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the “Robert Benedict Memorial Scholarship for Students with Disabilities” at Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, WI; also to the Texas Oncology- Tyler Cancer Center, and The Hospice of East Texas at Tyler.