Margaret Irene Benton Hood River, Oregon Obituary

Margaret Irene Benton

On Thursday, November 26, 2020, Margaret Irene Benton, loving wife and mother of four, passed away at home in Hood River, OR. Irene was born on November 29, 1939 at Paradise Valley Hospital in San Diego, CA to Grover Martin and Margaret Turner Martin. Irene grew up in California, attending El Cajon SDA School, San Diego Academy, and El Cajon High School, where she graduated one week after marrying David Robert Benton on June 8, 1957. Dave had completed army basic training and was being transferred to Fort Lee, Virginia before Irene would graduate from high school. Irene moved to Virginia to be with Dave until he was transferred to Eniwetok Island. Little did Dave know when he left, that Irene was pregnant with their first child, Daniel, who was born while Dave was deployed. When Dave completed his time in the army, he returned to work as a fire fighter foreman for the state forest service in California. Irene and Dave had two more children, Dava, followed 14 months later by a second daughter, Darla, while they lived in San Marcos, CA. Irene worked a variety of jobs: secretary, assistant girl’s dean, sous chef, nurses aid, bookkeeper and sales associate. Her favorite work was being a mother. Along with her own three, Irene was a foster mom to over 50 children. One of those children, Amanda, become the fourth child of Dave and Irene when they adopted her into the family while living in Pennsylvania. Along with family and work, Irene found time to enjoy gardening, sewing, camping, playing games (including video games), cheering for the San Diego Padres, taking road trips, decorating the house and watching Hallmark movies. Irene and her family moved often throughout the years as jobs changed and opportunities arose. In the early years the family lived in California, Virginia, Colorado and Arizona, eventually moving to North Dakota, then Pennsylvania. While in Pennsylvania, each of the older children attended college in Maryland where they made friends and married. In 1995, Irene, Dave and Amanda followed Darla, and her husband Dale, west to Hood River, OR. They bought a lock shop and ran it until 1999. Dave was the locksmith and Irene was the bookkeeper. She also provided child care for two of her grandchildren. After the lock shop, Dave ran his own body shop from their “new” home between Odell and Parkdale. Irene had seen a free house advertised in the local paper and they arranged to have it moved from about 3 miles away to their property on Highway 35. The house was added onto and remodeled into a comfortable family home where Irene enjoyed having friends and family spend time. Two years later, in 2001, youngest daughter Amanda married Carlos Alvarez. Irene and Dave enjoyed having two daughters and their husbands, along with six grandchildren, living so nearby in the Hood River Valley. Their other two children lived on the east coast. Daniel made trips west whenever possible to spend time with Mom and Dad Benton. Dava and her husband Rob, along with their three children, made regular trips to Oregon for time with family. Family was always a passion for Irene. Included with family were her friends and fellow church members. Though Irene could be described as shy, she regularly reached out to make friends. Members and visitors were welcomed home to share fellowship and good food. Irene also volunteered many years of service to her local Seventh-day Adventist church as a Sabbath school teacher, fellowship meal coordinator, assistant treasurer, and working at the community service center on 22nd Street. She managed the family finances and, along with Dave, donated much of their income to non-profit ministries sharing the good news of Jesus. In 2014, Irene’s health began to deteriorate. In 2016 she was diagnosed with her fourth type of cancer. Dava used family medical leave several times over the past four years so she could care for Irene, and travel with her parents to southern Oregon, California and Arizona. Darla quit her full-time work as a teacher and started providing care for her mom in the spring of 2018. In the fall of 2018, Daniel moved from Maryland to live with his parents and help. Amanda spent as much time as possible with her parents as Irene’s cancer progressed. All four children have been a treasured support for Irene and Dave, and were able to be with Irene in the final days. Irene is preceded in death by her father, Grover, her mother, Margaret, her younger brother, Henry Flynn, and her younger sister, Linda Trehan. Irene is survived by her husband, Dave Benton, her older sister, Gwen Poole, her older brother, David Martin, her four children, Daniel Benton, Dava White, Darla Milam and Amanda Alvarez, her foster son Gary Braden, and her nine grandchildren, Lauren, David, Hanna, Eric, Dylan, Jenny, Alex, Christian, and Jayden. Irene’s family is so grateful for the prayers, support and love given by friends and loved ones. Our special thanks to those who cared so lovingly for Irene: • Providence Hospice team: her nurse – Chaleen, Chaplain Pam, social worker – Daphne, and all the other team members who touched her life and ours. • Anderson Tribute Center: Jack, Addison, Tim, Mayra, and all the staff who so gently and respectfully supported us. • Hood River Seventh-day Adventist Church: Pastor David Woodruff and the entire church family. Irene’s family encourages you to keep your faith in Jesus during these trying times. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16,17 NKJV. If you haven’t met Jesus, you can find Him in The Holy Bible. You can also ask about Him from those who know Him. His message of hope and peace is available to all. Jesus is coming again, to conquer sin and death once and for all. “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NKJV Irene’s greatest wish would be to see all of her friends and family reunited with Jesus on that great resurrection morning. She would include each of you in that wish. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
November 29, 1939 - November 26, 202011/29/193911/26/2020
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On Thursday, November 26, 2020, Margaret Irene Benton, loving wife and mother of four, passed away at home in Hood River, OR. Irene was born on November 29, 1939 at Paradise Valley Hospital in San Diego, CA to Grover Martin and Margaret Turner Martin. Irene grew up in California, attending El Cajon SDA School, San Diego Academy, and El Cajon High School, where she graduated one week after marrying David Robert Benton on June 8, 1957. Dave had completed army basic training and was being transferred to Fort Lee, Virginia before Irene would graduate from high school. Irene moved to Virginia to be with Dave until he was transferred to Eniwetok Island. Little did Dave know when he left, that Irene was pregnant with their first child, Daniel, who was born while Dave was deployed. When Dave completed his time in the army, he returned to work as a fire fighter foreman for the state forest service in California. Irene and Dave had two more children, Dava, followed 14 months later by a second daughter, Darla, while they lived in San Marcos, CA. Irene worked a variety of jobs: secretary, assistant girl’s dean, sous chef, nurses aid, bookkeeper and sales associate. Her favorite work was being a mother. Along with her own three, Irene was a foster mom to over 50 children. One of those children, Amanda, become the fourth child of Dave and Irene when they adopted her into the family while living in Pennsylvania. Along with family and work, Irene found time to enjoy gardening, sewing, camping, playing games (including video games), cheering for the San Diego Padres, taking road trips, decorating the house and watching Hallmark movies. Irene and her family moved often throughout the years as jobs changed and opportunities arose. In the early years the family lived in California, Virginia, Colorado and Arizona, eventually moving to North Dakota, then Pennsylvania. While in Pennsylvania, each of the older children attended college in Maryland where they made friends and married. In 1995, Irene, Dave and Amanda followed Darla, and her husband Dale, west to Hood River, OR. They bought a lock shop and ran it until 1999. Dave was the locksmith and Irene was the bookkeeper. She also provided child care for two of her grandchildren. After the lock shop, Dave ran his own body shop from their “new” home between Odell and Parkdale. Irene had seen a free house advertised in the local paper and they arranged to have it moved from about 3 miles away to their property on Highway 35. The house was added onto and remodeled into a comfortable family home where Irene enjoyed having friends and family spend time. Two years later, in 2001, youngest daughter Amanda married Carlos Alvarez. Irene and Dave enjoyed having two daughters and their husbands, along with six grandchildren, living so nearby in the Hood River Valley. Their other two children lived on the east coast. Daniel made trips west whenever possible to spend time with Mom and Dad Benton. Dava and her husband Rob, along with their three children, made regular trips to Oregon for time with family. Family was always a passion for Irene. Included with family were her friends and fellow church members. Though Irene could be described as shy, she regularly reached out to make friends. Members and visitors were welcomed home to share fellowship and good food. Irene also volunteered many years of service to her local Seventh-day Adventist church as a Sabbath school teacher, fellowship meal coordinator, assistant treasurer, and working at the community service center on 22nd Street. She managed the family finances and, along with Dave, donated much of their income to non-profit ministries sharing the good news of Jesus. In 2014, Irene’s health began to deteriorate. In 2016 she was diagnosed with her fourth type of cancer. Dava used family medical leave several times over the past four years so she could care for Irene, and travel with her parents to southern Oregon, California and Arizona. Darla quit her full-time work as a teacher and started providing care for her mom in the spring of 2018. In the fall of 2018, Daniel moved from Maryland to live with his parents and help. Amanda spent as much time as possible with her parents as Irene’s cancer progressed. All four children have been a treasured support for Irene and Dave, and were able to be with Irene in the final days. Irene is preceded in death by her father, Grover, her mother, Margaret, her younger brother, Henry Flynn, and her younger sister, Linda Trehan. Irene is survived by her husband, Dave Benton, her older sister, Gwen Poole, her older brother, David Martin, her four children, Daniel Benton, Dava White, Darla Milam and Amanda Alvarez, her foster son Gary Braden, and her nine grandchildren, Lauren, David, Hanna, Eric, Dylan, Jenny, Alex, Christian, and Jayden. Irene’s family is so grateful for the prayers, support and love given by friends and loved ones. Our special thanks to those who cared so lovingly for Irene: • Providence Hospice team: her nurse – Chaleen, Chaplain Pam, social worker – Daphne, and all the other team members who touched her life and ours. • Anderson Tribute Center: Jack, Addison, Tim, Mayra, and all the staff who so gently and respectfully supported us. • Hood River Seventh-day Adventist Church: Pastor David Woodruff and the entire church family. Irene’s family encourages you to keep your faith in Jesus during these trying times. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16,17 NKJV. If you haven’t met Jesus, you can find Him in The Holy Bible. You can also ask about Him from those who know Him. His message of hope and peace is available to all. Jesus is coming again, to conquer sin and death once and for all. “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NKJV Irene’s greatest wish would be to see all of her friends and family reunited with Jesus on that great resurrection morning. She would include each of you in that wish. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.

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