Betty Irene (Pate) Benson

Betty Irene (Pate) Benson,92, Kingman, KS, left this life peacefully to be with her Lord Jesus on January 22, 2024, surrounded by loving family, after a courageous, two-year battle with cancer. She was born May 11, 1931, in McEwen TN, the firstborn child of Claude R. Pate and Susie A. Pate. She attended schools in Lobelville, TN until her senior year of high school, when her parents moved to Jennings, KS, and she graduated high school from there in 1949. She attended Kansas Wesleyan College, in Salina, KS where she earned her Kansas teaching certificate. Betty married her beloved husband of 56 years, Stanley E. (Bud) Benson on May 5, 1954, in Fort Eustis, VA. Betty began teaching elementary school in Norwich, KS and later in Murdock, KS, where her kind, caring nature made her a favorite teacher. Many of her students kept in touch with her into their adult lives. Betty and Bud bought a farm near Belmont, KS and built it into a large operation for the times. Eventually, they bought an insurance and real estate agency in Kingman, KS which became the successful, Benson Insurance and Real Estate Company. Betty enjoyed volunteering at the Kingman Community Hospital and Kingman Thrift Shop. She was a long-time member of the Kingman United Methodist Church. Betty was an avid sports fan, and enjoyed watching the KU Jayhawks, K-State Wildcats, Florida Gators, and most of all, the Kansas City Chiefs. Nothing was more important to Betty than her family, they were her world. Her three granddaughters were the apple of her eye, and the addition of a great granddaughter four years ago, simply made her ecstatic. Betty set an unmatched example for her children and grandchildren by living a tremendously full life, filled with love and laughter, travel, care, respect, dignity and grace. She was preceded in death by her father, Claude R., and mother, Susie A. Pate (Wilson), her husband Stanley E. (Bud) Benson and her brothers C. R. Pate and Edward Pate. She is survived by her son David C. Benson (Deb), son Douglass M. Benson (Andrea), daughter Angela Darcelle Welker (Ryan), granddaughters Danielle M. Benson, Jessica M. Swarts (Benson) and Jocelyn B. Welker, step-granddaughter Crystal Moots, (Austin), step-grandson Tyler Garten (Chessica) and great granddaughter Atlas R. Swarts.
Services will be held at Livingston Mortuary, Kingman, KS at 2:00 PM on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 5:00PM to 7:00PM, Wednesday, January 24, at Livingston Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Kingman Community Hospital, Kingman, KS, or Wheatlands Health Care Center, Kingman, KS.