Edward H. Benson, chairman of the board of Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co. of Pa., Inc., died at 11:05 p.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Hospital after an illness of three months. Benson, 60, of 1515 Ridge Road, was widely known in the tobacco industry. He had resided in Lancaster since 1945 and had been associated with Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co. for 35 years. He was on he board of directors of the Universal Leaf Tobacco Co., Richmond, Va.; the Hoja Paraguaia, Asuncion, Paraguay, and the Indonesian Tobacco Processors, Surbaya, Indonesia. He was past president of Lancaster Philippines and of Viroqua Leaf Tobacco Co., Viroqua, Wis. Benson was also a member of the Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Board of Trade, the Cigar Institute of America, and the Cigar Association of America. He was past director of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association. Benson served on the board of directors of the American Bank and Trust Co. and was a member of the board of trustees of Lebanon Valley College, Annville. He was a member of the Lancaster Association of Commerce and Industry and the National Association of Manufacturers. He belonged to St. James' Episcopal Church, Hamilton Club, Lancaster Country Club; Lancaster Riding and Tennis Club. He was founder and past president of Quadrille Club. He belonged to the Port Royal Club of Naples, Fla. and Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club. He was past commander of the Lancaster Flotilla 52, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and a former member of the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks 134. Benson was a captain in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II. He graduated from Baltimore City College in 1940. He was the husband of Margaret V. Hitchcock Benson. Born in Baltimore, Md., he was a son of the late Roland L. and Marie E. Dolan Benson. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter and two sons, Carol Lynn Kendall, and Steven Wayne Benson, both of Lancaster; and Scott Roland Benson, at home. Two grandsons also survive and one aunt. (Intelligencer Journal - Nov 7, 1980)