William "Bill" Gilbert Benson, 91, of Springfield, MO, passed away on Monday, August 25, 2025.

Born June 19, 1934, in Sullivan, MO, he was the son of Gilbert William Kramer and Irene (Bell) Benson and stepfather Ernest Benson.

Bill spent his early years in Sullivan living with his grandparents. At the age of 8, he and his mother and stepfather relocated to St. Louis, MO. In 1948 at the age of 14, he received Christ as his Lord and Savior while attending Sullivan Assembly of God Church. Later he attended the Assembly of God North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, MN, where he met Ruth Myrna Blankenship to whom he was married on August 3, 1957. He served in the US Army from 1956-1959 and was stationed in Alaska. In 1972, he moved with his wife and two children, Brian David and Deborah Lynn to Springfield, MO, where he eventually began his own business, Benson's Service Appliance Heating and Cooling. In 1983, he was asked to join the maintenance department of the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Springfield where he was employed until retirement in 1996.

Bill enjoyed a variety of sports including softball that he played until age 60, basketball, fishing, biking, hiking, and tennis. He and Ruth backpacked the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim twice with friends. Bill hiked 180 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Tennis, however, was his sport of choice which he played from age 35, and thanks to his many friends at the Turtlebrook Courts in Nixa, MO, he continued to play until the age of 80.

In retirement, Bill helped with the clean-up of hurricane Katrina in 2005. He also volunteered at Teen Challenge in Branson West for 5 years.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, wife Ruth of 48 years, son Brian, sister Gilberta Mueller, brother-in-law Donald Mueller, and nieces.

He is survived by his daughter Debbie and son-in-law Patrick O'Reilly, daughter-in-law Lisa Benson, former wife Lynda Gage, grandchildren Jennifer Gordon (Jason), Courtney Hatcher (Chad), Lauren Franks (Ben), Jake Benson, many great grandchildren, sisters-in-law Marlene Blankenship, Marilyn Droke, brother-in-law Don Droke, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 6 at Gorman Scharpf Funeral Home, in Springfield, MO.

Memorial contributions may be made to Seasons Hospice.