Kenneth Mark Benson, 59, of Karns City, PA, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at Butler Memorial Hospital on June 9, 2024, following a lengthy illness.
Ken was born on December 3, 1964, in Olean, NY to his parents, Harold Leonard Benson and Clara Lucille Kimicata (nee Kessler). As a youth, Ken grew up in rural Butler County, PA playing baseball and enjoying outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing before graduating from Moniteau High School in West Sunbury, PA. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves at age 17 and remained in service to his country until the time of his death. Ken attained the rank of Master Sergeant and worked as a full-time military technician in Butler for the U.S. Army Reserve.
Master Sergeant Benson trained routinely in various Continental states and was deployed overseas during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Middle East. He recently spent nine months deployed in Kuwait and Qatar. As his military career progressed, he became a subject matter expert in Army maintenance and combat engineering construction. Master Sergeant Benson received numerous distinguished awards and decorations during his service tenure including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and Noncommissioned Officer’s Professional Development Ribbons.
Ken thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors, hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling. Most of all, he truly loved to spend time with his family and numerous close friends, especially his Army buddies including Paul Smith of Clarion, Mark Boguslawski of Ford City, and Joe Kemmer of Fairmount City to name a few. Ken was an exceptionally loyal and generous friend and would do almost anything to help a friend in need. “Sergeant Sunshine” will be sorely missed by all who knew and worked with him.
Surviving Ken are his mother, Lucille Kimicata of Butler, PA; a sister, Wendy Pounds of Chicora, PA; a brother, Phillip Benson of Sinclairville, NY; his sister-in-law, Susan Benson of Sinclairville, NY; a niece, Liza Norcross of Wallkill, NY; and two nephews; Christian Simpson of Maine, and Daryl Benson of Savage, MD.
In addition to his father, step-father, Giacomo Kimicata, and his brother-in-law, William Pounds, Ken was predeceased by his brother, Ronald Benson,
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 East North Street, Butler, PA. He will be interred at a later date in Wells Cemetery in Little Genesee, NY next to his brother Ron. In order to express condolences, please consider donating to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or a local volunteer fire department.