Age 81, Scottsdale, Arizona - Graveside service will be 2:00 PM Friday in the Fort Sill National Cemetery. Colonel Benson died Thursday, January 31, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona. Burial with full military honors will be under the direction of the Becker Funeral Home. He was born on February 10, 1926, in Buffalo Springs, TX to Oscar Gaines and Eunice Price Benson. Col. Benson completed college courses at University of Northern Carolina, Michigan State University and University of Houston. He served in the Army for 47 years to include WWII in Germany and Austria. He was recalled for duty in Japan, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam. He was awarded the European Theater Campaign Ribbon, two Bronze Stars, Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Occupational Ribbon for Germany (Victory Ribbon) and the Army of Occupational Medal-Japan. He graduated Advanced Adjutant Generals School with honors, completed Officers Adjutant Generals School and Infantry course, completed National Security Management Program, Industrial War College, Ft. Nair, and graduated from the Department of Defense Computer Institute. Col. Benson owned and was CEO of Taxi, an international trading company. He spent 15 years on the executive board of international trade councils and civic organizations, was a seminar presenter and speaker on international trade issues, a White House staff consultant to Presidents Ford and Reagan. He had 19 years experience in insurance mortgage banking & worked for several chambers of commerce. Col. Benson was on the Board of Directors and President of Georgia Partners of America, Chairman of Business and Industry Committee of Georgia Partners of America in which he promoted joint ventures and trade between Georgia businesses and Brazil and was Chairman of the World Trade Council of Atlanta for two years. He was saved as a teenager at First Baptist Church in Amber, OK and attended Mount Paran Church in Atlanta, GA, Preston Wood in Dallas, TX and Valley Cathedral in Phoenix, AZ. He is survived by his wife, Blanda Benson; four daughters, Betty Lynne Johnson, Sherry Hart, Barbara Crouch, Andrea Ebner; a son, Tommy Benson; a brother Jim Benson; two sisters, Wilma Glidewell and Joyce Horton; and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, Pat McMahan, Ann Love and Dorothy Benson, a brother, Ken Benson, and grandson, Tommy Benson.