Richard Austin Benson

Richard “Dick” Austin Benson, 91, of Batavia, Ill., passed away peacefully on Friday, August 28, 2020 at Delnor Community Hospital in Geneva, Ill.  Dick was born on August 12, 1929 in Rockford, Ill. the son of George and Ruth (nee. Austin) Benson.  He was united in marriage to Lois M. Liable on January 27, 1951 in Varna, Ill.

Dick graduated in 1947 from Varna High School. He continued his education that fall at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in economics. In January 1951 he married Lois, his high school sweetheart. Immediately following graduation, Dick started his accounting career with Caterpillar in Peoria, Ill. Two years later, Dick and Lois were transferred by Caterpillar to York, Pa. In the fall of 1957, they were transferred back to Peoria, where he held various management positions, last serving as Accounting Research Manager at their general offices. In July 1963, he left Caterpillar and took a job as Chief Cost and Budget Accountant at Hawley Products in St. Charles, Ill. where he retired in August 1987, after being treasurer and vice-president. Not one to sit, he soon started his second career as an individual tax preparer and began teaching tax classes.  As preparing income taxes was seasonal work, he partnered at Fox Field Realty and was CFO of Murray Properties in 1988 until his retirement in September 2011.

During his career in St. Charles he met many members of the business community.  Dick was invited to become a member of governance of the Delnor Hospital Board in 1968 and was the President of the Board in 1985 during the consolidation of Delnor Hospital in St. Charles and Community Hospital in Geneva. The structure of the new Delnor-Community Health System originated with him. He continued to serve as a Health System/Hospital Board member until 1996 when he was named Director Emeritus. In addition to being a board member, he was a Senior Member of the Delnor Hospital Men’s Foundation, a Life member of the Delnor Hospital Auxiliary, and volunteered at the Hi-Hat Resale Shop from 2011-2017.

Over the years he was involved with the Batavia Historical Society and the Boy Scouts, he was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church of Batavia and on their church counsel and President of the Batavia Rotary Club.

As his father was a Buick and Chevrolet auto dealer, he developed a love of cars at a young age and purchased many over the years. In addition to cars, he loved building and flying model airplanes, model railroading, and stamp and coin collecting. He enjoyed playing ping pong, tennis, and golf.  Dick was known for his warm smile, keen sense of humor, a willingness to help all and a kind heart.

Dick is survived by his loving wife; Lois M. Benson, his two sons; Greg (Karen) Benson and Jeff (Tamara) Benson, his sister; Shirley Schou, his grandchildren; Katie Knasko (Zachary), Amy Jarratt (Brice), Steven (Anna), Alexander and Bridget, and  his great- grandchildren; John, Eleanor and Leah.

He is preceded in death by his parents, G. Edward Benson and Ruth Benson.

Dick’s earthly body was cremated.  Due to COVID-19, a celebration of Dick’s life will be held in the spring of 2021. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Dick’s name may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, 8 South  Lincoln Street, Batavia, IL 60510, Batavia Historical Society, 155 Houston St., Batavia, IL 60510 or Northwestern Memorial Foundation, 541 N. Fairbanks Court, Suite 800, Chicago