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Norman Arthur Clifford Benson, oldest charter member of VFW Post 7267, age 84, died peacefully in his sleep October 3, 2008.

The great grandson of two of the original six Swedish settler families of the Chisago Lakes Area, Mattes Bengtson and Sven Nelsson who arrived in 1852.

Norman was proud to be an American. He served his country as a soldier, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather. His country and family were his life and he was honorably discharged from both the US Army and the US Navy. On June 1, 1945, his Battalion the 1397th Engineer Construction was honored with the Award of Meritorious Service Unit Plaque for outstanding devotion to duty in performance of exceptionally difficult tasks upon arriving at Saipan from July 7, 1944 to March 1, 1945. As a young man returning from WWII, he and a small band of veterans helped found VFW Post 7267, meeting originally in the Park Island Hotel, Center City in 1946.

In his last years, he oversaw and documented the construction of the Lindstrom Veteran's Memorial and it was his sincere desire to rally all veterans from the area to reenergize the post for the next generation, "My generation is dying," he said for the umpteenth time the day before his death, "It's time the vets from Vietnam, Korea and later engagements step up to the plate. Those men and women coming home are going to need them. WWII vets are wearing out."

After WWII Norm spent his life building schools, hospitals, and many other commercial structures, as well as his own homes. He was a lifetime member of Carpenters Local No. 87 St. Paul. He married Beverly in 1951 and immediately left for Natchez, Mississippi to build a grain elevator. They returned to start a family in the Chisago Lakes Area.

His hobbies included spending time with his grandchildren, woodworking, flying, gardening, model trains, fishing, hunting, and boating on Lake Superior. Norm always kept his hands and mind busy and was very artistic. He could take a pile of rubble and turn it into something beautiful. In his retirement, his family became his new crew in constructing additions on houses, building docks, landscaping, boat restoration and many other projects. A true Mr. Fix-It, he was able to fix anything and taught his children and grandchildren that with a little creativity and belief you can master just about anything you put your mind to.

Preceeded in death by infant daughter, Sally.

Survived by brother Charles and sister Louise; wife Beverly; children Jodee (husband Karl); Jill; Dan (wife Carrie); Dana (husband Charlie); grandchildren Karl, Liz, and David; Tara (husband John); Steph, Emma, and Ruby; and great-granddaughter Maddie.

Service was Monday, Oct. 6 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lindstrom. Burial at Fairview Cemetery, Lindstrom. Grandstrand Funeral Home handled arrangements.

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