William “Bill” P. Benson, age 80, of Kearney died Monday, December 26, 2011 at the Good Samaritan Hospital. 

Funeral services will be Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church with Pastor Rebecca McDermott officiating.  Burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon with military rites at the grave by American Legion Post # 52, V.F.W. Post # 759 and the U.S. Air Force military honors squad.  There will be no visitation.  Memorials are planned to the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department or the Kearney Eagle’s Lodge F.O.E. # 2722.   

A message of condolence, tribute, or memory can be left at www.hlmkfuneral.com.

 Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services of Kearney are in charge of arrangements.

            Bill was born November 18, 1931 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Victor P. and Evelyn M. (Goecke) Benson.  He was raised in the Milwaukee area where he attended school where he graduated and later entered the service.  He entered the service on June 23, 1950 and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict until he was discharged on June 21, 1954.  He moved to Kearney and married L. Nadine Blue in 1958.  Nadine passed away on June 30, 1976.  Bill married Lois J. (Catlin) Carlsen on December 10, 1977 in Gibbon.  He was employed as a lineman and installer for the GTE telephone company for over 35 years until he retired in 1991. 

            Bill was a member of the Eagle’s Lodge F.O.E. # 2722, American Legion Post # 52, V.F.W. Post # 759 and a longtime member of the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department.

Surviving relatives include:

Wife-Lois of Kearney

Son-Greg Benson and his wife Amber of Kearney

Daughter-Michele Holmes and her husband Tim of Grand Island

2 Stepsons-Steve Carlsen of Minden

                  Dean Liddle of Glendale, AZ

3 Stepdaughters-Brenda Walburn of Kearney

                          Becky Lawless and her special friend Tom Myers of Elm Creek

                          Sherry Carlsen Kearney

13 Grandchildren

11 Great Grandchildren

Bill was also preceded in death by his parents, 1 sister-Carolyn Stapleton and 1 stepson-Randy Little.