Louis consciously and peacefully transitioned into the light early Saturday morning, surrounded by family and friends, after courageously coping with liver cancer since the latter part of last year. Louis was born in Glen Falls, New York, to parents Rita and "Benny", who predeceased him. He is also predeceased by his brother, Carl (Elsie) Stoltz, aka Butchie. Louis was inducted into the Army in May of 1969. After serving in Viet Nam in the Fourth Infantry Division as a tank and heavy equipment retriever, he was honorably discharged in May of 1971. Louis was involved with the Tucson Veterans for Peace organization and he was a proud member of the VFW Catalina Post 4903. Louis cherished the Sonoran desert and he sensitively built custom homes in order to preserve as much of it as possible - see www.loubensonconstruction.com. In April of 1992, Lou Benson Construction coordinated and put on the first ever straw bale house demonstration for the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association's 20th Anniversary Home Show and then, in March of 1995, they organized the Alternative Building Materials Home Show, both at the special request of Alan Lurie, then Executive Director for SAHBA. Louis was a respected member and contributor to the Tortolita Homeowners Association, the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Development, the Oro Valley 2020 Plan, the founding of the Town of Tortolita, the recall and reform of the Amphitheater School Board, Pima County's Northwest Comprehensive Plan Update, and the years long community stakeholder's process of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. Louis was a patriotic and informed community activist who believed everyone could, and should, make a difference. He was proud to have been elected Marshal of the Town of Tortolita, the only town in Arizona to have been incorporated by an overwhelming number of signatures, the majority of which Louis collected. He LOVED Tortolita. A warrior to the end, Louis was actively supporting public access to the Tortolita Mountain Park during his illness. A gentle man, famous for his smile, Louis was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend. Louis will be missed by his sister, Barbara (Bill) Staigar; brothers, Richard and Lee Benson; wife, Robyn; daughter, Nicole (Jeff) Corwon; son, Jonas (Misty), and grandchildren, Glenn, Sajen, Jade, Sophie, Oliver, Everett Leo, and Angela; sister-in-law, Jodi Maher; brother-in-law, Bruce Helman (Nely); nieces and nephews, extended family, friends, and his beloved Tortolita community. A Celebration of Louis' life was held Saturday evening, June 27, 2009 at the Tucson Audubon Society's Mason Center. All who love Louis wish to express our gratitude to all who touched his life in a positive way. As Louis would always say, "Peace".