Juanita Benson
Juanita Benson
Juanita Benson
November 10, 1924 – October 5, 2023
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 98
Juanita Benson, 98, of Oskaloosa passed away Thursday, October 5, 2023, under hospice care at her home in Oskaloosa. She was born November 10, 1924, in Rose Hill, Iowa, the daughter of Dwight and Dorothy Mattox Hicklin.
Juanita graduated from Rose Hill High School with the class of 1942.
On December 23, 1944, Juanita was united in marriage to Rolland Ver Steeg. Rolland passed away in 1954.
She then married Carl Benson, on April 27, 1957, in Mahaska County. Together they were married for 54 years until Carl passed in 2014.
Following high school, she completed teacher’s training and taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Mahaska County, as teaching requirements increased, she continued her education at William Penn and Bemidji State College in Bemidji, Mn. In 1963, the family moved to West Point, Iowa. She taught at St. Mary’s school in West Point and then St. Paul when they consolidated and became Marquette Schools. Juanita eventually completed her four-year teaching degree at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant with an emphasis on special education. She then taught at Central Lee Schools in Montrose and in Donnelson and retired in 1990 after 34 years of teaching. Juanita was also a business partner in Carl’s typewriter businesses in Oskaloosa and Ottumwa. They later started a hardware store in West Point and expanded to other places in Lee County.
During her childhood she enjoyed summers in Minnesota fishing and being on the lake. She grew up working at her father’s business, Hicklin Garage. She could overhaul a motor and transmission and do all mechanical repairs. She wanted to be a mechanic after high school. However, her parents convinced her to get a teacher’s certificate, she agreed to try it but only for one year! This turned into a 34-year teaching career that she loved.
Juanita was a member of the First Christian Church in Fort Madison. Then, when she moved back to Oskaloosa, she joined Rose Hill Community Church. She enjoyed spending time with her family, reading, word puzzles, gardening, fishing, and cooking delicious food. She loved to travel and made it to 47 states. She also played several musical instruments in school and deeply encouraged the love of music in her children and grandchildren. Juanita was an advocate for life-long learning. She always said, you should always learn something new every day.
Her family includes her son Ray (Cathy) Ver Steeg of Wylie, Tx, a son Randy Benson of Oskaloosa, a daughter Renee Swift of Oskaloosa, grandchildren, Dustin (Jenna) Benson, Ryan Ver Steeg, Nicole (Bryan) Lyde, Jade Swift, great-grandchildren, Hunter and Caroline Benson, Kira and Zoey Lewis, Karen Ver Steeg, and Riley Lyde.
She was preceded in death by husbands, Carl Benson and Rolland Ver Steeg; her parents; a granddaughter Mandy Ricco, and her sister Cheryl Sanders.
Visitation with the family present will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the Bates Funeral Chapel with funeral services to follow at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Michelle DeBruin officiating the service.
It was Juanita’s wish to be cremated following funeral services and with a private family burial in the Springfield Cemetery. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Juanita Benson please visit the Bates Funeral Chapel Sympathy Store.
