Obit: Bengford, Lawrence H. (1922 - 1997)

Contact: Linda Mertens
Email: mertens@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 


Surnames: Bengford, Schaefer, Williams, Slack, Hammel, Albers, Hauser, Hammel, Bernhardt, Tiefenthaler, Cass, Pollien


----Source – Helen Johnson’s Scrapbook


Lawrence Herman Bengford (18 Sept 1922 - 18 May 1997)

Lawrence Herman Bengford, 74, died at 3:45 p.m. May 18, 1997, at St. Joseph’s Hospital hospice home, House of the Dove, in Marshfield.

Funeral Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester with the Rev. James Schaefer officiating. Serving as pallbearers will be Shawn Bengford, Shane Bengford, Shelley Bengford, Sheena Bengford, Shannon Bengford and Autumn Williams. Honorary pallbearers will be Travis and Tina Slack and Codie Hammel.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 31, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Odebolt, Iowa. Lawrence will be buried next to his wife in St. Martin’s Church Cemetery.

Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Maurina Funeral Home in Abbotsford. There will be a combined Rosary Service by the St. Louis Parish and St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus 5127 of Colby at 7:30 p.m. Military rites will be extended by the American Legion Post 517 of Dorchester.

Lawrence Bengford was born Sept. 18, 1922, in Odebolt, Iowa, the son of John and Nettie (Albers) Bengford. He received his early education in Odebolt and was a 1940 graduate of Odebolt High School. He served his country during World War II, under General Patton, in the 20th Armored Division.

Lawrence and the former Vivian Hauser were united in marriage on Aug. 20, 1945, in Breda, Iowa, and had celebrated 40 years of marriage before her death on Nov. 3, 1994. The young couple farmed in Iowa and in 1959 moved to farm in the town of Holton, Dorchester, until 1964. Lawrence was employed with the former Bennett-Daniels Lumber Company in Dorchester from 1965 until his retirement in 1984.

Lawrence was an honorary member of St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus 5127, and a lifetime member of the American Legion Post 517 and also the Wisconsin/Michigan Wood Seasoning Association. He also was active in the Dorchester Lion’s Club, Dorchester Park Corporation and Dorchester Housing Authority. He was a member of St. Louis Catholic Church where he served as Eucharistic Minister.

He will be sadly missed by his son, Larry (Judie) Bengford of Tomahawk; two daughters: Bonnie (John) Hammel of Hamilton, Mont.; and LeAnn (Larry) Williams of Neenah; four sisters: Rita (Marvin) Tiefenthaler of Early, Iowa; Allie (Wesley) Bernhardt of Odebolt, Iowa; Eileen (Lou) Cass of Dunlap, Iowa; and Marie Pollien of Early, Iowa; two brothers: Raymond (Shirley) Bengford of Deloit, Iowa, and Ed (Phyllis) Bengford of Ida Grove, Iowa; nine grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

He was predeceased by his parents; his wife; a brother Leo and his wife Neva; his brother Joe (Dorothy) Bengford; and an infant brother, Frederick Jr.

Memorials may be designated in his name to St. Joseph’s Hospital hospice home, House of the Dove, in Marshfield.