Crayton Benson

ROCK HILL, S.C. — It is with great sadness and immense joy that the family of Crayton Robert Benson Jr. announces that he passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, at the extraordinary age of 98 years. He was affectionately known by his family as Big Bob. Bob was born in Salisbury, N.C., on June 29, 1919, to Crayton and Sally Benson. Bob was active in every sport that involved a ball and excelled at them all. He received a full football college scholarship to Catawba College where he completed his undergraduate degree. While there he met, fell in love with, and married his wife, Helen Mary Quackenbush. They have remained faithful, loving, and productive over more than 75 years of marriage. After graduating from college, bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy. A second lieutenant, he served five years. He commanded a DUKW boat ferrying soldiers onto Omaha beach to fight at Normandy, France, in the 6th wave on D-day. This incursion by the Allies on the heavily fortified coast on June 6, 1944, is the largest military operation by sea in history. The operation, a defining moment of the century, freed Europe from what Winston Churchill called “the new dark age of Nazism.” After completing his service, he and his wife, Helen, settled in Graham, North Carolina, where he completed his master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He took a position at Elon College in Elon, North Carolina, as the dean of students. He then left to establish the first community college, the College of the Albermarle in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He subsequently established and became the first president of Gaston Community College in Gastonia, North Carolina. Later, he became dean of students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. It was in Chattanooga that he met the Rev. Gene Craven who introduced him to his Lord and Savior. He moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina to become the first headmaster of Westminster Christian School there. Rock Hill served as his home base as he traveled around the world leading teams of youth with Teen Missions. Throughout his life, Bob served with many nonprofits. Among his favorites were Young Life and Christian Business Men’s Connection. Bob was often heard asking, “What color is the sky?” The inevitable answer: “Carolina Blue!” He loved to garden, to eat ice cream, to watch his grandkids play any sport, and to cheer on his Tar Heels. He loved to play scrabble and only lost once with a score of 64 to John and David. As a Child of the Great Depression, he developed a resilience that marked his life. He instilled that same resilience in the generations following him. Bob and Helen marked each day with a time of prayer when they prayed for each child, grandchild, and great grandchild by name. Bob and Helen had a committed and faithful relationship that was marked with a little bit of grumpy and a lot of love. Bob will be forever remembered by his wife, Helen; and their precious children, Betty, Barbara Gunter (Mike), Robert (Tina), Beverly Henry (Jim), David (Lise), Harriette Hill (John); 21 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren. Services were held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15, in the chapel at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill Followed by a joyous family celebration. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in memory and in honor of Big Bob may be made to Young Life of York County, 518 N. Avenue East, Rock Hill, SC 29732 and Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1320 Indian Hook Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732.