Obituary of Florence Benjamin

Florence "Betty" Benjamin, 84, of Cassopolis passed away at Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital in Dowagiac on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Betty was born on December 7, 1928 to the late James and Iva (McCleary) Ibbotson. On July 15, 1953 Betty wed the late Walter Benjamin Sr. in Roseland, Indiana. She graduated from Hillsborough County Adult Education and went on to work at a boy's prison in Florida. She worked as a local crossing guard for many years and then became a caregiver for the elderly. Betty was a regular at the Cass County Area on Aging where she made many friends. Betty is preceded in death by her husband, parents, son Paul Benjamin, brothers Floyd and Bert Ibbotson, sisters Harriet Deitz, Hannah Abiney and Madge Huntley and step-children Elizabeth Fadder, Pearl West, Ernie Morrison and John Benjamin. She is survived by her children Roselyn "Rosie" (Dewey) Allen of Sulgent, Alabama, Margaret Graves of Mississippi, Helen Benjamin of Niles, Walter (Carol) Benjamin Jr. of Niles, Elizabeth Benjamin of Niles and Albert "Al" (Linda) Benjamin of Brighton, Colorado, stepchildren Don Benjamin of Niles, Edith Okonski of Dowagiac, Helen Dengus of Dowagiac, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren and siblings Jeannette Ferrier of Allegan, Michigan, James (Pauline) Ibbotson of Decatur, Michigan, Pearl Dayhuff of White Cloud, Michigan, Thomas (Margaret) Ibbotson of Marcellus, Marion (Jerry) Glaser of Cassopolis and Barbara Watson of Vine Grove, Kentucky. A time of visitation will be held on Monday, March 18, 2013 at Brown Funeral Home in Niles from 10-11 a.m. with funeral services to honor Betty's life immediately following at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Randy Pearman officiating. Betty will be interred next to her husband at Rice Cemetery in Elkhart, Indiana.