Obituary for Barbara A. Benson
Barbara Alice Benson was born on April 5, 1949 in Boston, Massachusetts. The youngest of three children, she grew up in Waltham and attended UMass Amherst where she played flute in the marching band and graduated with a degree in marketing in 1971. There, she met her future husband, Alfred, during a concert at the student center while The Turtles played "Happy Together."
She began her career in insurance, working as an adjuster supervisor for Allstate in Weston, MA until she moved to Covington, KY after her marriage to Alfred in 1976. She was a systems analyst at Great American and was an active member of the National Association of Insurance Women, serving as president of the Cincinnati chapter. Barbara shifted careers in 1997, joining the Internal Revenue Service in Covington, where she rose to several managerial positions over 24 years, most recently in communications. She was a mentor and resource to many, well-respected for her judgement and good nature.
Barbara excelled in sewing (she made her own wedding dress), baking, and crocheting, producing dozens of scarves, hats and blankets, which she often gave as gifts. She was a longtime advocate for women in the workplace and an avid follower of politics. She enjoyed reading memoirs and biographies of public figures and always tuned in to the Sunday morning political shows. She loved spending time in her yard which she dutifully maintained, as she continued to mow her own lawn until a few months before her passing.
She was a loyal friend and valued family above all. She would travel any distance for a visit and never missed a wedding, funeral or reunion, even when it was in Finland. She was kind, humble, and an easy companion who enjoyed life on an even keel and without reproach.
Barbara died November 6, 2020 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after an 8-year battle with metastatic osteosarcoma of the mandible, a rare cancer that rarely slowed her down, even as she underwent invasive treatments.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Alfred Dziczek of Covington, KY; son Timothy Dziczek, daughter Stephanie Dziczek and her husband James Leffler, all of Los Angeles, CA; brothers Paul Benson of San Antonio, TX and Carl Benson of Sebastian, FL; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Barbara was buried in Waltham, MA at Mt. Feake Cemetery in a plot with her parents. Out of respect for people's health, her family will host a virtual Celebration of Life to honor her memory with details posted to her Facebook wall. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
She began her career in insurance, working as an adjuster supervisor for Allstate in Weston, MA until she moved to Covington, KY after her marriage to Alfred in 1976. She was a systems analyst at Great American and was an active member of the National Association of Insurance Women, serving as president of the Cincinnati chapter. Barbara shifted careers in 1997, joining the Internal Revenue Service in Covington, where she rose to several managerial positions over 24 years, most recently in communications. She was a mentor and resource to many, well-respected for her judgement and good nature.
Barbara excelled in sewing (she made her own wedding dress), baking, and crocheting, producing dozens of scarves, hats and blankets, which she often gave as gifts. She was a longtime advocate for women in the workplace and an avid follower of politics. She enjoyed reading memoirs and biographies of public figures and always tuned in to the Sunday morning political shows. She loved spending time in her yard which she dutifully maintained, as she continued to mow her own lawn until a few months before her passing.
She was a loyal friend and valued family above all. She would travel any distance for a visit and never missed a wedding, funeral or reunion, even when it was in Finland. She was kind, humble, and an easy companion who enjoyed life on an even keel and without reproach.
Barbara died November 6, 2020 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after an 8-year battle with metastatic osteosarcoma of the mandible, a rare cancer that rarely slowed her down, even as she underwent invasive treatments.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Alfred Dziczek of Covington, KY; son Timothy Dziczek, daughter Stephanie Dziczek and her husband James Leffler, all of Los Angeles, CA; brothers Paul Benson of San Antonio, TX and Carl Benson of Sebastian, FL; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Barbara was buried in Waltham, MA at Mt. Feake Cemetery in a plot with her parents. Out of respect for people's health, her family will host a virtual Celebration of Life to honor her memory with details posted to her Facebook wall. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.