Dates
Grace Lynell Benson Seaton was born in San Angelo, Texas on August 9,1949 to Martin Benson and Tommie Riddle Benson. She passed from this life to her eternal reward on December 15,2023 at the age of 74.
Lynell graduated from Central High School in San Angelo where she excelled in sports, and she attended Angelo State University.
Lynell was employed by Concho Educators’ Federal Credit Union as its secretary when the credit union operated from a small office in what was formerly Lincoln Junior High School. She was working in the Tom Green County Probation Office when she met the love of her life, John, who, at the time was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base. Lynell loved to tell the story of how they met and was convinced that an angel brought them together. They were married on February 4, 1972. They very nearly made it to 52 years of sharing their lives together,
They took advantage of their opportunities to travel while John was stationed at Ft. Meade, Maryland and assigned to NSA and finishing his enlistment at Karamursel, Turkey. Lynell and John returned to San Angelo where she became the first female juvenile probation officer employed by the Tom Green County Juvenile Probation Office and she worked in that capacity while helping John finish college. It was during that time she became the mother of Josh, her pride and joy. When John graduated from college, Lynell chose to become a full time stay at home wife and mom, however she continued to be active in the church, teaching Bible classes and supporting the work of the church and working as a church secretary.
When Josh started school, she became an active volunteer at McGill Elementary School, volunteering as a teacher’s aide, room mother, a formidable and dedicated school crossing guard, and serving in several PTA capacities including President. She thoroughly enjoyed the hard work and challenge involved in fundraising and particularly enjoyed organizing and working the Halloween Carnivals.
Lynell enjoyed hunting and fishing with John and was particularly fond of vacation trips they made to Big Bend and Fort Davis. She was a great storyteller of their adventures. Her version of their adventures often didn’t coincide with John’s recollections, however, John usually admitted that Lynell’s version was much more entertaining.
Lynell enjoyed crafts and especially enjoyed giving her craftwork away as a token of her appreciation. One of her most memorable efforts has been to create small flower vases that she has given away to hundreds of friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Her gifts of flowers can be found throughout the City and Shannon Medical Center’s many clinics, reception areas, exam rooms, and even some of the hospital nurse’s stations.
Lynell is preceded in death by her father, Martin Benson, her mother, Tommie Benson, and her brother, Bobby. She is survived by John and Josh and his wife, Leslie whom she loved as a mother would love a daughter. Other survivors include her brothers, Larry Benson and his wife Ginny and Bill Benson and his wife Beverly, and nieces and nephews.
The family is especially appreciative of the care Lynell was given by the Shannon Oncology Department, especially the nurses and staff who never failed to provide excellent care and encouragement and to Shannon’s ICU and Fourth Floor South staffs for their tireless efforts to care for her and make her comfortable during her final admission to the hospital and, also, to Hospice of San Angelo whose amazing staff never failed to assist the family and Lynell during a most difficult time.
Harper Funeral Home is handling the memorial service which will be held on Monday, December 18, 2023 at Southgate church of Christ with Paul Shero and Frank Berthall officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations be made to San Angelo Christian Academy, Cherokee Children’s Home, or the mission work of Chadbourne North church of Christ or Southgate church of Christ.
II Corinthians 12:7-10