Margaret Gloria Vines Benson

SERVICES: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 201111:00 A. M.PINE GROVE CHURCH OF GODDIXON, MSVISITATION:  TUESDAY, 5:00 - 8:00 P. M. ATMCCLAIN-HAYSINTERMENT:  PINE GROVE CEMETERYOFFICIATING:  REV. ROB HILLREV. KAY STEWARTREV. MARC SMITH Margaret Gloria Vines Benson was born December 27th, 1921 in Bessemer, Alabama, to Fred and Stella Vines. After her graduation from Jones Valley High School she attended Anderson College (now Anderson University) in Anderson, Indiana. There she met Joseph Benson who was from Dixon, Mississippi, the man who was to become her husband. They married in Bessemer, Alabama on June 22nd, 1941. After their honeymoon in Biloxi, Mississippi Margaret and Joe returned to Birmingham, Alabama and became engaged in work pertaining to the war effort. From there they were sent to Hunter's Point Navy Yard in San Francisco, California to continue war work. When her husband was finally drafted Margaret returned to Alabama while he was away at war. After the war she returned to Anderson with her husband to continue her education. From there the couple moved to Florida to continue their education at Stetson University in Deland, Florida. She obtained her bachelor's degree and began teaching school in that state which included the towns of Webster, Coleman, Dade City, St. Petersburg, Interlachen and Melrose. During her twenty-seven years in Florida, Margaret traveled widely, covering practically all of the states and into Canada. She and her husband had the summers free which permitted them to do this. This, of course, was a real asset to her teaching career. In 1974 Margaret came to Mississippi and continued to teach at Neshoba Central Elementary School for a period of ten years. From there she finally retired from teaching and continued to live at Dixon with her husband. However the yen to travel was still with Margaret and her husband so they bought into Fairfield which allowed them to continue to travel widely in the United States. They later moved to Penney Retirement Community near Green Cove Springs, Florida and were there exactly five years. However, they decided to leave there and return to Mississippi, the rolling stone fever never having left them. They moved into an apartment in Meridian and were there for three years. From there they returned to Philadelphia at 426 Columbus Avenue where they were living at the time of her death. It was there that she passed away peacefully on June 11, 2011, surrounded by her family. Margaret had a real talent for music and was organist for the Pine Grove Church of God at Dixon at the time of her death. She was also an avid gardener and spent many hours with the landscaping and flowers in her yard. She is survived by her husband Joseph Benson; two brothers, Fred Vines and John Vines of Alabama; two sons, David Benson and his wife, Josephine, and Douglas Benson and his wife, Suzanne; two daughters, Jo Ann Ballantine and husband, Roy Busby of Denton, Texas and Lisa Patterson, also of Denton, Texas; eleven grandchildren, one great grandchild, and a host of nephews and nieces and her many friends. Pallbearers will be her eight grandsons: Hank Benson, John Mark Benson, Sam Benson, Shum Benson, Spencer Benson, Curtis Benson, Will Patterson and Walker Patterson.