DONALD D. BENSON
Don Benson of Clive passed away last Sunday at the age of 82. Don was born
in Franklin, Nebraska, grew up in Lincoln and graduated from the University
of Nebraska, a lifelong Husker fan. He received his degree in journalism
and immediately put it to use during the Korean conflict joining the Naval
Reserve as a journalist and embarking on a destroyer off the Korean coast.
After serving his obligation, Don and his wife Jackie moved to Hays, Kansas
where Don worked on the local newspaper, the Hays Daily News until accepting
a post teaching journalism at Ft. Hays State College. After the birth of
his two children, the family moved to Columbia, Missouri where Don worked
towards a Masters Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri.
Don continued to work with the Naval Reserve, received a commission and was
promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade, serving in Intelligence units in
Nebraska and on the staff of the Iowa Adjutant General, eventually retiring
as a Commander after over 29 years of service.
The Des Moines Register and Tribune brought Don to Des Moines where he
worked in the Promotion department for over 27 years. Promoting the R&T got
Don out of the office and into Iowa communities across the state quite
often. Responsible for the R&T?s booth at the annual Sports and Vacation
Show and the Register?s Information building at the Iowa State Fair, the
activity he will be remembered for by most is his part in helping to
establish RAGBRAI. Known as ?The Waggoner Master?, Don was at the starting
point in Sioux City in 1973 for the first RAGBRAI and he helped organize the
next 18 of them, supporting RAGBRAI several years after he had left his full
time position with the Register.
Don was an avid train fan, his interest initiated by his grandfather who was
a depot agent at Franklin, NE. Don was a member of several railroad fan
clubs. Don served as board member and secretary of the Burlington Route
Historical Society for several years. Additionally, he loved to ride
bicycles and lead bicycle trips, a spinoff of the functions he had become so
adept at for RAGBRAI. While most of the bicycle trips he put together were
in The Netherlands, his largest effort was supporting the ?Iowa 150?, a
bicycle ride that promoted Iowa?s Sequential going from Long Beach, CA to
Washington D.C. in 1995.
Other notables, Don was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, a member of the
Tux Brigade of the ZA-GA-ZIG Shrine and a loyal Iowa Cubs fan.
Don is preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Mildred Benson and his
sister Karen Moore. Don leaves behind his wife Jackie (Nothnagel) Benson of
Clive, son Mark Benson and daughter-in-law Nancy (Lakin) Benson of Fairfax
Station, VA, daughter Nancy (Benson) Riederer and son-in-law Bob Riederer of
Sapulpa, OK, 5 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. A visitation for
Don will be conducted Wednesday May 11th, 5 to 7 pm at Westover Funeral
Home, 6337 Hickman. A memorial service for Don is scheduled for 1100
Thursday 12 May at Covenant Christian Church, 2700 72nd St in Urbandale.
The family asks that memorial contributions be made to Camp Sunnyside via
Iowa Easter Seals or Covenant Christian Chu
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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