Robert E. Benson
Robert E. Benson, Benson, of Locust Valley, died peacefully on April 18, 2009, just short of his 93rd birthday. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Helen. Father of Lanie Ganzenmuller (Peter), Christine Pell (Peter), William (Sara), David and the late Robert Jr. Grandfather of 10 and great- grandfather of seven.
Bob graduated from Brooklyn Friends School, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, MIT and Harvard Business School. He served as major in the Army during WWII. After the war he moved with his family back to Sea Cliff where he had lived during the summers as a child. He commuted to New York City and worked for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. until 1966, becoming vice president. He then went to work for ITT as special projects vice president until 1975, when he joined White-Weld Merrill Lynch as vice president until 1985.
He served on the boards of the Dime Savings Bank, the YWCA Retirement Fund, the Village of Matinecock as police commissioner, the New York City Rescue Mission, the Locust Valley Library, the vestry of St. John’s of Lattingtown and until his death, Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club.
As a young man he was an avid sailor and raced his victory boat Blue Jacket all over Long Island Sound, winning the championship for the summer of 1937.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s of Lattingtown, Locust Valley, May 7 at 11 a.m. Memorial gifts may be made to New York City Rescue Mission, 90 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10013, or St. John’s of Lattingtown. Arrangements made by Whitting Funeral Home, Glen Head.
