John W. Benson, Sr.

John Wesley Benson, Sr., age 82 years, of Delaware Township, NJ passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, March 18, 2022, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Born in Delaware Township, NJ on June 25, 1939, he was the son of the late James Leo and Blanche Evelyn (Pegg) Benson. He was a Hunterdon County, NJ resident all his life. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, eventually becoming a Lance Corporal. A great athlete, he even played semi-pro baseball for the Marine Corps team. He served his country from 1958-1961 before he was honorably discharged. After his service, he began a forty-two-year career as a heavy equipment operator, starting out with Louis Simonye in Lambertville, NJ and ending his career with Brian Plushanski Construction Company in Asbury, NJ. He retired in 2002. Growing up in Hunterdon County he was an avid outdoorsman. This included deer hunting in New Jersey and Potter County, PA, gardening, golfing, birdwatching, and amateur trap shooting. In fact, he was the 1972 NJ State Handicap Trap Shooting champion. He won the state shoot by breaking 98 out of 100 at the 21 yard line. His other hobbies included rooting for the New York Yankees, of which Mickey Mantle was his all-time favorite, and playing fast pitch softball for both the Sergeantsville United Methodist Church as well as the Sandy Ridge Church, Delaware Township, NJ. Furthermore, he enjoyed a nice glass of wine after a long day. Above all, he loved his family. He especially loved watching his children and grandchildren play sports. He will be remembered as a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and will be missed by all who knew him. John was predeceased by his siblings, Rae Scheier, Barbara Benson, James Benson, and Roger Benson; as well as his best friend, Martin Romano, who passed away in 2021. Surviving is his beloved wife of fifty-nine years, Joyce E. (Brown) Benson, of Delaware Township, NJ; his three children and their spouses, John W. (Kelly S.) Benson, Jr., of Stockton, NJ, Michael “Mickey” C. (Heidi L.) Benson, also of Stockton, NJ, and Tammie J. (Michael) DeStefano, of Flemington, NJ; four grandchildren, Ashley A. (David) Cruz, of Macungie, PA, John W. (fiancé Lisa Sadano) Benson III, of Bethlehem, PA, Morgan K. Martucci, of Plainsboro, NJ, and Robert W. Martucci, of Flemington, NJ; one great-grandchild, Cameron Cruz; his sister, Joyce Debonis, of Texas; two in-laws, his sister-in-law Florence (Charles) Lose and brother-in-law, William (Betsy) Brown; as well as several nieces and nephews. A visitation with the family will take place on Friday, March 25, 2022, from 10:00 AM-12 Noon in the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Funeral services, officiated by Rev. Louis Kilgore, will follow at 12 Noon in the funeral home. Graveside committal services with full military honors followed by burial will then take place in The Rosemont Cemetery, Route 519, Delaware Township, NJ. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in John’s name may be made to Hunterdon Hospice, 215 Route 31 South, Flemington, NJ 08822. All arrangements and cremation services are under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For further information or to send an online condolence, please visit John’s “Tribute Wall” at www.holcombefisher.com.