John Benjamin

John Lavern Benjamin was born June 7, 1920, to Blanche Marie (Kelley) and Holland "Dick" Benjamin in Panama, Iowa. The family then moved south of Dunlap. John attended the North Picayune Country School and Dunlap High School. John proudly served his country in the U.S. Army from 1942~1945. After his honorable discharge John returned to farming. He and his brother Bob had some race horses for awhile and John was a horse trader as well. On November 8, 1947, John married Lucille Jones Thomsen. The couple lived in Dunlap. John and his brother Charlie operated the Larson Truck Stop from 1958~1963. John then worked for Jim Schaben Sr. at his farm and then at the Dunlap Livestock Auction.

John loved to read Louie L'amour books as well as books about horses. He was an avid recycler. He would collect tin, iron, copper, and aluminum so he could re-sell it. John loved to play cards. He also enjoyed going to have coffee each day.

John died on Thursday, January 2, 2014, at the Dunlap Nursing and Rehab Center at the age of 93 years, six months, and 26 days.

John was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lucille Benjamin; step-son, Ron Thomsen; two sisters, Ethel Crandall and Ruby Milks; and two brothers, Robert and George Benjamin. He is survived by his step-daughter, Pat and her husband Jack Ellis of Ames, Iowa; two grandchildren, Ken T. "Bud" Dunham and his wife Tami of Dunlap, Iowa, Jane Dunham and her husband Patrick Bissen of Camdenton, Missouri; five great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; brother, Charlie Benjamin and his wife Glenda of Dunlap, Iowa; sister, Nora and her husband Ken Van Cleave of Omaha, Nebraska; and many other relatives and friends.