Harold Benskin, 92, of Clinton, ended his watch on January 5, 2021. He was born in Mecca, IN on September 30, 1928, to Walter and Miranda Hastings Benskin. He was the sixth of seven children.
He was preceded in death by his parents and all six of his siblings, Mary, Margaret, Herschel, Forrest, Clyde, and Herb.
Times were tough growing up in the depression, so he quit school at a young age to work the farm. In 1945 he started working for Superior Tree service at age 17. In 1949 he went to Purdue School of Forrestry for supervisor training and began work for N. G. Gilbert Tree Service which later became Townsend Tree Service, for which he worked for 50 years until his retirement. Many men worked for him over the years. If you needed a job, go see Harold.
He joined the Fairview Fire Department in 1958 with his father who drove the fire truck. In 1964 he was elected Fire Chief and he remained Chief for 33 consecutive years until 1997. He was a 50 year member of the Indiana Volunteer Firemen’s Association. He loved the fire department and his firemen’s family.
He was a true community servant and was a civil defense officer, and a Vermillion County Reserve Deputy Sheriff for many years.
He never met a stranger. He loved people, animals, and John Wayne. The family joke is “he’s watching John again—he’s never seen that one before.” He loved camping and fishing. He was a member of the Wayside Methodist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, whom he would have been married to in February, for 70 years. He also is survived by 3 sons, Dennis (Jennifer) of Marango, IN, Harold Dusty (Janice) of Mecca, and Randy (Tammy) of Clinton; 1 daughter Annette (Bill) Cottrell of Clinton; 18 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren with 1 on the way; several nieces and nephews; and his 4-legged kids, Keyonny and Meow-Meow “the damn old alley cat.”
Visitation will be on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 11 am to 2 pm at Frist Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2 pm at the funeral home with Celebrant Marta Adubato officiating. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his parents and all six of his siblings, Mary, Margaret, Herschel, Forrest, Clyde, and Herb.
Times were tough growing up in the depression, so he quit school at a young age to work the farm. In 1945 he started working for Superior Tree service at age 17. In 1949 he went to Purdue School of Forrestry for supervisor training and began work for N. G. Gilbert Tree Service which later became Townsend Tree Service, for which he worked for 50 years until his retirement. Many men worked for him over the years. If you needed a job, go see Harold.
He joined the Fairview Fire Department in 1958 with his father who drove the fire truck. In 1964 he was elected Fire Chief and he remained Chief for 33 consecutive years until 1997. He was a 50 year member of the Indiana Volunteer Firemen’s Association. He loved the fire department and his firemen’s family.
He was a true community servant and was a civil defense officer, and a Vermillion County Reserve Deputy Sheriff for many years.
He never met a stranger. He loved people, animals, and John Wayne. The family joke is “he’s watching John again—he’s never seen that one before.” He loved camping and fishing. He was a member of the Wayside Methodist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, whom he would have been married to in February, for 70 years. He also is survived by 3 sons, Dennis (Jennifer) of Marango, IN, Harold Dusty (Janice) of Mecca, and Randy (Tammy) of Clinton; 1 daughter Annette (Bill) Cottrell of Clinton; 18 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren with 1 on the way; several nieces and nephews; and his 4-legged kids, Keyonny and Meow-Meow “the damn old alley cat.”
Visitation will be on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 11 am to 2 pm at Frist Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2 pm at the funeral home with Celebrant Marta Adubato officiating. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery.
Harold Benskin, 92, of Clinton, ended his watch on January 5, 2021. He was born in Mecca, IN on September 30, 1928, to Walter and Miranda Hastings Benskin. He was the sixth of seven children.
He was preceded in death by his parents and all six of his siblings, Mary, Margaret, Herschel, Forrest, Clyde, and Herb.
Times were tough growing up in the depression, so he quit school at a young age to work the farm. In 1945 he started working for Superior Tree service at age 17. In 1949 he went to Purdue School of Forrestry for supervisor training and began work for N. G. Gilbert Tree Service which later became Townsend Tree Service, for which he worked for 50 years until his retirement. Many men worked for him over the years. If you needed a job, go see Harold.
He joined the Fairview Fire Department in 1958 with his father who drove the fire truck. In 1964 he was elected Fire Chief and he remained Chief for 33 consecutive years until 1997. He was a 50 year member of the Indiana Volunteer Firemen’s Association. He loved the fire department and his firemen’s family.
He was a true community servant and was a civil defense officer, and a Vermillion County Reserve Deputy Sheriff for many years.
He never met a stranger. He loved people, animals, and John Wayne. The family joke is “he’s watching John again—he’s never seen that one before.” He loved camping and fishing. He was a member of the Wayside Methodist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, whom he would have been married to in February, for 70 years. He also is survived by 3 sons, Dennis (Jennifer) of Marango, IN, Harold Dusty (Janice) of Mecca, and Randy (Tammy) of Clinton; 1 daughter Annette (Bill) Cottrell of Clinton; 18 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren with 1 on the way; several nieces and nephews; and his 4-legged kids, Keyonny and Meow-Meow “the damn old alley cat.”
Visitation will be on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 11 am to 2 pm at Frist Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2 pm at the funeral home with Celebrant Marta Adubato officiating. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his parents and all six of his siblings, Mary, Margaret, Herschel, Forrest, Clyde, and Herb.
Times were tough growing up in the depression, so he quit school at a young age to work the farm. In 1945 he started working for Superior Tree service at age 17. In 1949 he went to Purdue School of Forrestry for supervisor training and began work for N. G. Gilbert Tree Service which later became Townsend Tree Service, for which he worked for 50 years until his retirement. Many men worked for him over the years. If you needed a job, go see Harold.
He joined the Fairview Fire Department in 1958 with his father who drove the fire truck. In 1964 he was elected Fire Chief and he remained Chief for 33 consecutive years until 1997. He was a 50 year member of the Indiana Volunteer Firemen’s Association. He loved the fire department and his firemen’s family.
He was a true community servant and was a civil defense officer, and a Vermillion County Reserve Deputy Sheriff for many years.
He never met a stranger. He loved people, animals, and John Wayne. The family joke is “he’s watching John again—he’s never seen that one before.” He loved camping and fishing. He was a member of the Wayside Methodist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, whom he would have been married to in February, for 70 years. He also is survived by 3 sons, Dennis (Jennifer) of Marango, IN, Harold Dusty (Janice) of Mecca, and Randy (Tammy) of Clinton; 1 daughter Annette (Bill) Cottrell of Clinton; 18 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren with 1 on the way; several nieces and nephews; and his 4-legged kids, Keyonny and Meow-Meow “the damn old alley cat.”
Visitation will be on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 11 am to 2 pm at Frist Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2 pm at the funeral home with Celebrant Marta Adubato officiating. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery.
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