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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
BENSON, John Robinson - It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved brother and uncle, John Robinson (Rob) Benson. He was predeceased by his parents, Marjorie and Edward Benson; his sister Barb (Paul) Couture; his brother Mike (Jackie) Benson; his sister Terry (Pat) Carroll; his sister Lynne (Brant) Heywood and his brother-in-law Maurice Bauche. He is survived by his sisters, Bev Bauche and Rosemary Hebert (Denis). He was a loving uncle to many nieces and nephews and several great-nieces and nephews. Rob was a loving, kind, giving, patient and gentle man who loved his family beyond all else. He was very proud of the majestic A-frame cabin he built with some help from his family and friends. He chose the location of a beautiful bay surrounded by forest in Minaki, Ontario and loved playing gracious host to anyone who wanted to visit. He took great pleasure in organizing "cousins weekends" for his nieces and nephews at the cabin. He loved to read and had a huge collection of books that were meticulously organized alphabetically. He built a second cabin on the property which he lived in during the winters and rented during the summer for many years, but eventually sold it. Rob graduated St. Paul's High School in 1952 and attended the College Militaire Royal de St. Jean in Quebec. He served in the Navy for 13 years and spent 26 months in England, along with officers from every Commonwealth navy, taking the Junior Officer's Education and War course at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Upon returning to Canada, Rob served on five Canadian naval vessels. After retiring from the navy in 1965, he continued serving in the naval reserves on the Great Lakes and in Esquimalt, retiring in 1973 as a Lieutenant-Commander. Rob obtained his BSc, BEd and MEd degrees at the University of Manitoba. He taught senior high school mathematics and computer science at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Winnipeg for 20 years. He was instrumental in helping develop computer-assisted systems for the Manitoba Department of Education. In 2016, Rob suffered a devastating stroke that left his right side paralyzed and his speech impaired. He bore this bravely, without complaint and always with a smile on this face. The family would like to thank Simkin Centre who provided Rob with a warm, loving and caring home, where he received excellent care in a happy environment. Rob was cremated at Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home. As per his wishes, there will be no funeral or memorial service. It was his wish that family and friends hold a Celebration of Life when it is safe to do so, to raise their glasses and wish him a "bon voyage." (Winnipeg Free Press 20 Mar 2021)
Ships served in: * Listed as a Cdt, RCN (seniority 28 Oct 1952) (Navy List Jan 1953) HMCS DONNACONA - Listed as a Cdt, RCN (Navy List Jan 1954) HMCS DONNACONA - attending Collège Militaire Royal de St. Jean as a Cdt, RCN (seniority 12 Sep 1952) (Navy List Jul 1954) ROYAL ROADS - attending Royal Roads as a Cdt, RCN (Navy List Jul 1956) HMCS ATHABASKAN - Appointed to ATHABASKAN 17 Sep 1956 as a Midshipman, RCN (seniority 01 Sep 1956) (Navy List Jul 1957) HMCS NIOBE - Appointed to NIOBE 25 Sep 1957 add'l for General Education, Warfare Course and technical Courses as an A/SLt, RCN (Seniority 01 Sep 1957) (Navy List Jan 1958 HMCS IROQUOIS - Appointed to IROQUOIS 09 Mar 1959 as a SLt, RCN (Navy List Jul 1959) HMCS YORK - Appointed to YORK 09 Nov 1960 as a SLt, RCN (Navy List Jan 1961) HMCS INCH ARRAN - Appointed to INCH ARRAN 27 Nov 1961 as a SLt, RCN (Navy List Apr 1962) HMCS VENTURE - Appointed to VENTURE , Training and Transient 27 Jan 1963 as a Lt, RCN (Seniority 16 Mar 1960) (Navy List Apr 1963) HMCS STADACONA - Appointed to STADACONA, Training and Transient 19 Jul 1963 as a Lt, RCN (Navy List Oct 1963) HMCS NIPIGON - Appointed to NIPIGON 27 Jul 1964 as a Lt, RCN (Navy List Oct 1964) HMCS CRESCENT - Appointed to CRESCENT 11 Feb 1965 as a Lt, RCN (Navy List Apr 1965) * not listed in the Oct 1965 Navy List
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