Josephine Benson Obituary

Josephine Benson of the Tellico Village Community, Loudon, Tennessee, passed away on July 3, 2025. She was predeceased by her husband of 74 years, Terry Benson, and her sister, Jane Meisenheimer. She is survived by her daughter, Deborah Crosser, and her son, Paul Benson; grandchildren Meghan Crosser, Melissa (Steve) Wygonski, Jennifer (Brandon) Davis, and Michael Benson; great-grandchildren Orion Davis and Kora Wygonski; and several nieces and nephews.
Jo was born in 1929 in Sedalia, Missouri, to Nadine and Clarence Wadleigh. She and her sister and life-long best friend, Jane, walked to the one-room schoolhouse for grades one through eight. Jo missed her older sister so much when she started school, that the teacher invited her to start first grade a year early. She graduated from Smith-Cotton High School in 1946 at the age of 16.
She loved growing up on a farm and had many stories to tell of helping her parents and gatherings of family friends at the farm for her dad's hand-churned ice cream. She particularly liked attending the barn-raising dances with her parents, watching the dancing with Jane from the hayloft of the barn.
Jo took singing lessons in her teens with an eye to a future singing career. She sang solos at wedding services accompanied on the piano by her sister. She continued singing with the church choir and performing solos during church services until her voice succumbed to the aging process. Her dream of a singing career was derailed when her future sister-in-law introduced her to her husband, Terry, while working with her at University of Missouri Agricultural Extension Services in Sedalia, MO.
Jo and Terry began their married life in 1950 in Kansas City, MO, where Jo worked for Business Men's Assurance Company of America (BMA). She was promoted to Supervisor of the Typing Pool before leaving to start a family. She and Terry were transferred by General Motors to Arlington, Texas, before their first child arrived. Deborah was followed two years later by Paul.
In 1965, the family was transferred to the Detroit, Michigan area by GM. Jo continued her activities with the family's Methodist Church serving as President of the Methodist Women's Society, children's Sunday School teacher, and Vacation Bible School teacher, participating in the preparation and clean up of every potluck event, and monthly mimographer of the church newsletter.
Jo returned to work when the children were in high school in order to help pay for both of their children's college educations at Michigan State University. She started as a substitute school secretary for the Bloomfield Hills Schools and was later assigned as the school secretary to the new Wing Lake Developmental Center for SMI students when the federal government enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975.
Jo was the center of all the planning and preparations for the annual Benson gathering at her home in Bloomfield Hills, MI. It was a week-long pool party for a group of 12 to 20 relatives (including their fiances/husbands/wives/infants). She made sure all were fed and had a great time! Jo's "love language" was cooking and providing beds for everyone, no matter how many!
Jo was an accomplished pie baker renowned for her chocolate pies. She taught all three of her granddaughters to bake pies, ensuring her skill would continue in the family.
Jo loved the little blessings in life like flowers, clouds, birds (especially hummingbirds), always taking the time to notice them. She was religious about taking a two miles in 30 minutes' walk every day which she firmly believed enabled her to live to the age of 96.
Jo retired with Terry in 1985 and in 1989 were fortunate to find Tellico Village while on a golfing vacation. Here they developed deep friendships with people through golf, boating, card-playing, and their church. They were charter members of the
Tellico Village Community Church and founding members of the Tellico Village General Motors Club.
Memorial Service to be determined.