Charles Benson

Charles Wayland Benson, of Corpus Christi, passed away on December 28, 2016 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Charlie was born January 2, 1938, in Seagraves, Texas, and grew up in Seminole, Texas, where he was a member of the Church of Christ. He graduated from Seminole High School in 1956. He was a member of the1955 Class 2A State Champion Seminole Indian Basketball Team and set a school record in 1956 by scoring 444 points. Charlie attended Texas Tech University and Sul Ross State University. He married Jeannie McMurry July 30, 1960. He completed a Bachelor of Science Degree at Sul Ross State University in 1965 and completed his Master of Arts in 1966. He earned a Doctorate in Educational Administration at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 1968. Charlie worked as Deputy Director at Region XIX Education Service Center in El Paso from 1968 until 1975 and served as Executive Director of Region 1 Education Service Center in Edinburg from 1975 until 1978. He was named Deputy Superintendent of schools in Ysleta I.S.D. in El Paso in 1978 and he served as Superintendent at Ysleta I.S.D. from 1980 until 1985. While at Ysleta I.S.D. he was instrumental in obtaining the beautiful Morningside Mall for school administration offices for the district and its 50,000 students. The beautiful Spanish style two-level mall is still a state-of-the-art structure providing Ysleta with one of the most beautiful and functional administration facilities in Texas. In 1981 Charlie received the Distinguished Alumnus award from the New Mexico State University Education Department. He served as a visiting faculty member at the University of Texas at El Paso and earlier at Pan American University in Edinburg. Charlie served as Superintendent of Schools at Corpus Christi I.S.D. from 1985 until 1992. At the time he was named Superintendent in Corpus Christi, he was the first person to ever have served as superintendent of two of the Big Eight school districts in Texas. In 1988 he was selected as an Outstanding Centennial Alumnus of New Mexico State University. In 1991 he was a State finalist for Superintendent of the Year. He served as President of the Downtown Rotary Club of Corpus Christi in 1992. He was an Associate Commissioner with the Texas Education Agency in 1993. He worked as a Field Service Representative for the Texas Association of School Boards for 15 years, retiring in 2008. He was active in the Texas Association of School Administrators, was Chairman of the Teachers Professional Practices Commission, appointed by Gov. William Clements. He was a founding member and a president of the Equity Center. The Equity Center provided research information for the Edgewood I.S.D. vs. State of Texas case which eventually resulted in equalized funding for Texas schools. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, Life Member of the Texas State Teachers Association, a member of the American Association of School Administrators, and the Texas Association of School Administrators. Charlie held a Coastguard Captain’s license and operated Benson’s Fishing Guide Service from 1995 until 2008. In 1975 the Texas Education Agency’s Department of Health, P.E., and Recreation printed his publication entitled, “Let’s Go Fishing.” He was a lifelong sportsman, an avid fisherman, and loved to hunt quail.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charley Terrell Benson and Erlene Brown Benson. He is survived by his wife of 56+ years, Jeannie Kathryn Benson, three children, Mark Wayland Benson, (Miyoung), Charles Todd Benson, (Hope), Leigh Ann Benson Worrich, (Scott) and the little ones that he loved more than fishing, his five grandchildren, Madeleine Benson, Ethan Benson, Thomas Worrich, Travis Worrich, and Wayland Benson. He is survived by one sister, Becky Jones from Abilene, one sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ann and David Shelton, from Seminole. Charles was a Christian by faith.

Visitation will be from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2016 at Cage-Mills Funeral Directors. Visitation will resume in Seminole, Texas from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Monday, January 2, 2016 at Ratliff Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday January 3, 2016 at First Presbyterian Church of Seminole. Interment will follow at Gaines County Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by the Ratliff Funeral Home.

The family requests that donations in Charlie’s name be made to the National Diabetes Association or the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.