James Benson

Waynesville, Dr. James Robert (Bob) Benson, 81, of Hummingbird Lane, passed away on Friday, March 11, 2016 at St. Joseph Hospital. Bob was born on October 6, 1934 in Springfield, IL and was the son of the late Eb B. and Catherine J. Benson. He graduated top of his class from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri with a bachelor's degree in 1955 and a medical degree in 1959, followed by surgical and vascular residences at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. In addition to his parents, Bob was predeceased by his first wife of 54 years, Betty B. Benson and his sister and brother-in-law, Berdeana and Charles Aguar. Dr. James Robert Benson was a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. He was selected by Lt. General Leonard Heaton, the Surgeon General of the Army to be the Commanding Officer of the 45th Surgical Hospital in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam from October 1967 to July 1968. Afterwards he served as the Chief of Vascular Surgery at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco, California for one year. During his service in the Army, Bob received the Army Commendation Medal (w/ Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal. He also received an Army Commendation for his work as part of the surgical team that took care of the General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur from March 2 to April 5, 1964 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. In July 1969, the Benson family, Bob, Betty, Kimberly, Susan and Elizabeth moved to Jacksonville, Florida. Bob began his private practice at Riverside Clinic where he practiced Vascular Surgery and General Surgery for the multispecialty clinic, retiring in 1999. Bob and his family were long time members of the Florida Yacht Club, where Bob served as Commodore in 2003 as well as many other capacities throughout the years. He also served as Commodore for the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs, an organization of many yacht clubs in Florida. They are dedicated to promoting fair boating laws and safer waterways for the boating public. Bob had many interests throughout his life. Yachting was always a love, he built his own computers, had a passion for videography and cooking. He became a certified barbeque judge and an excellent smoker and grill master, a/k/a Barbeque Bob, and was also a loyal Gator and Jaguar fan regularly attending football games with his family and friends. Bob is survived by his wife of three years, Beverly Stubbs Benson; daughters, Kimberly Brown and her husband, Kevin, of West Palm Beach, Florida, Susan Benson and Elizabeth Wells and her husband, Craig, of Jacksonville, Florida; a grandson, William Wells; one niece and several nephews. A memorial service will be held at the Ortega United Methodist Church, 4807 Roosevelt Blvd., Jacksonville FL 32210 at 10:00 AM Friday, April 8, 2016. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall. Inurnment will be Friday April 8, 2016 at the Palms Presbyterian Church Columbarium, 3410 South Third Street, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Waynesville, 305 N. Main Street, Waynesville, NC 28786, or to Palms Presbyterian Church, 3410 South Third Street, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. An on-line memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at "www.wellsfuneralhome.com"

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