Jean Gartner Benson, age 94, of Chester Township, passed away on May 12, 2020.
Born Jan. 7, 1926, in Boston, Mass., she was the daughter of Elizabeth Zepfler Gartner and Walter C. F. Gartner.
Jean graduated from Needham High School (Mass.) in 1943, earned a bachelor of arts from the University of New Hampshire in 1947 and a master’s of arts from Case Western Reserve University in 1969.
She met Kirk L. Benson at the University of New Hampshire and they married on Sept. 13, 1947. Kirk died in 2000.
Jean is survived by her sisters, Betty Maloney, of Boulder, Colo., and Louise Birkhead, of Syracuse, N.Y.; children, Judy Harrold (Stan), of Orangeburg, S.C., Kirk L. Benson Jr. (Vickie), of Chesterland, Douglas Benson (Pat), of Newbury Township, and Glen Benson (Chris), of Munson Township; and 10 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Jean taught for many years at the Claridon Elementary School.
She belonged to, and was active in, the Chesterland Community Church, the Chesterland Historical Society and she volunteered at the Geauga County Hospital.
She also helped a Vietnamese family attain U.S. citizenship by teaching them English.
Jean enjoyed knitting, weaving, reading, gardening, walking, swimming and attending concerts.
A public memorial service will be held at a later date at the Chesterland Community Church.
Online condolences may be posted at www.gattozzianderson.com.