Ruth Glasener Benson, 104, died May 7, 2020 in Green Valley, Arizona.  She was born December 12, 1915 in Cedar Falls, Iowa to Russell and Mabel Glasener.  She attended Drake University before transferring to Illinois State University in Normal where she graduated in 1937 with a degree in Commerce. After graduation she taught at Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois.  While taking a summer graduate school course at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, she met her future husband Thomas Benson at a dance.  After Tom graduated from Officer Candidate School in 1942 they married at Fort Meade in Laurel, Maryland. They lived and worked in Washington, DC where she enjoyed visiting the Corcoran Gallery of Art on her lunch breaks, the National Gallery of Art on weekends and concerts near the Lincoln Memorial on the Potomac River.  In 1944 when Tom was transferred to the European theater of war she moved back to Normal, Illinois until Tom's return from Germany in January 1946. Later in 1946, Ruth and Tom moved to Madison, WI where they lived until moving to Green Valley, AZ in 1983.

Ruth and Tom raised their three children in Madison where Ruth served as a Cub Scout Leader; Vice President of the Black Hawk Council of Girl Scouts; Head of the Nakoma Welfare League; President of Chapter AE, PEO; President of the Methodist Hospital Auxiliary; a member of the First Methodist Church of Madison and its choir. Ruth was an avid bridge player both in Madison and Green Valley.  In Green Valley, Ruth worked at the La Vista Library at La Posada retirement community, was an active member of the United Methodist Church of Green Valley (formerly the Community Church), and of PEO.  Ruth was an annual supporter of La Posada employee educational scholarships.

Ruth loved all types of music, was an accomplished singer, a voracious reader, a world traveler, a lover of the fine arts and a student of history. She inspired her children to be active volunteers in their communities. She was an intelligent, nurturing, artistic, musical, creative and fun-loving woman who will be greatly missed.

Ruth's husband of 54 years, Tom Benson, died in 1996.  She is survived by her three children James Benson (April Lane Benson) of New York, NY; Elizabeth Benson of Falls Church, VA; and Martha Benson McGrane (John McGrane) of Bethesda, MD; five grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to the Posada Life Foundation, dawn@laposadagv.com , La Posada at Park Center, Inc., 350 E. Morningside Road,  Green Valley, AZ 85614.