Obituary of Viola "Vi" Benson

Viola Benson, or Vi as she was better known as, was born on a farm in the Beaverlodge area in 1919 to Lulu Sherk-Edgerton and Charles Edgerton -both early pioneers in the Peace Country. Vi had a very happy childhood with her older brother Ken, and her younger sisters Reta and Dorothy. She would reminisce about hitching calves to a sleigh. They would lead the calf a distance from its mother that was in the barn. It was then turned loose, the kids jumped on the sleigh as the calves raced for the barn. Vi took her schooling at the old log school at Lower Beaverlodge. Instead of buses, she had to ride a horse, or in the wintertime, go by sleigh. As soon as she got home from school, Vi would persuade her two sisters to play school. This went on for years until the girls rebelled as she was a very strict teacher! Her one dream as she was growing up was to be a teacher. She attended high school in Beaverlodge, living in-town at a boarding house, and graduated in 1937. Even though her parents were going through hard times during the depression, they managed to scrape up enough money to send Vi to Normal School in Edmonton, graduating to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. She first taught in a country school in the Red Deer area. This was where she met and married her husband Mel Benson. She continued to teach in the same area until the family's move to Calgary where her son, Garry, was born. Vi then stayed home to look after her cute baby boy. In 1952 her husband, Mel, bought Lux Cleaners and they moved to Dawson Creek. In 1955 their family increased when a sweet baby girl, Deborah, was added to the family. A year later Vi returned to her beloved career - teaching elementary school. How happy she was to be back with "her kids". In the mid 1960's, and for the next 20 years, Vi and her class entered festivals in choral speech and drama. Her students won many trophies over the years. Vi was so proud of them. Throughout her teaching career Vi enjoyed many exciting changes in her own family too! As Garry and Deborah continued through school, the Benson house was a favorite hangout for their friends and after school activities. As Garry and Deborah moved away to pursue educational and career opportunities, this gave Vi and Mel an excuse to travel around the country to visit them. As their families grew, first with Garry's sons Brian and Greg, and then Deborah's son Travis, Vi now had grandsons to spoil. The boys will say some of "the teacher" came to visit as well as a Grandma! After her mandatory retirement in 1984, Vi continued to substitute teach, and tutor students for the next 20 years. In addition, her festival work continued as she became an adjudicator at festivals across the province. In 1997 she was saddened by the death of her beloved husband Mel. Some years later she was very fortunate to meet Garry Halldorson, who would become an important person in her life. Other great additions were happening to her family too! She and Garry Halldorson saw her family expand with Greg's marriage to Michelle, and the addition of 4 great grandchildren - Ethan, Cole, Ella, and Cameron. Since then Travis has married Sonya, and great grand-daughter Amelia was born in 2011. Vi's travels with Garry included trips to Calgary, Hawaii and Arizona to visit Garry and Lynn and the kids, to Vernon to visit Deborah, and to Costa Rica and Mexico to get away from Dawson Creek winters. Since Garry Halldorson's passing a few years ago, Vi was very well looked after at Peace River Haven, where she celebrated her 90th birthday with her family and friends in 2009, and most recently in Rotary Manor where she continued to look forward to their visits. I know that although Grandma has not been out and about in Dawson Creek lately, her former students and co-workers from the schools where she taught; and friends and acquaintances at the United Church, Walter Wright Museum, and hospital where she volunteered, will miss her. I know I speak for my whole family when I say - WE WILL MISS YOU MOM, GRANDMA, GREAT GRANDMA, and SISTER. We love you! Service 2:00 pm Thursday, November 6, 2014 South Peace United Church 1300 104 Ave DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia, Canada V1G 2J6