Raburn Benton Obituary (1935

Raburn Benton, 87, a former Malvern, IA resident, passed away on Monday, October 24, 2022 at the Ambassador Health in Nebraska City, NE. Celebration of Life services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 11, 2022 at the Malvern United Methodist Church in Malvern, IA. Burial with Military Honors with be held in the Malvern Cemetery. Loess Hills Funeral Home in Malvern is caring for Raburn and his family. Memorials may be directed to the 4-H Foundation or Malvern United Methodist Church Raburn Albert Benton was reunited with his Savior and his wife on Monday, October 24th, 2022. Raburn was born in Malvern, Iowa on July 1, 1935, to Thelma Faye (Hurst) Benton and Max Summers Benton, the oldest of three children. He graduated from Malvern High School in 1953 and later earned a Bachelor of Science from Peru State, where he and his brother, Roger, and his cousin, Joe, all lived together. Raburn taught business classes at Malvern High School while working on the family farm and finishing his Master's degree. He also served in the United States Army during this time and earned the rank of sergeant. Raburn graduated with his Masters in guidance and counseling from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and, upon graduating, he worked as a Guidance Counselor at South High in Omaha. Raburn married his high school sweetheart and classmate, Dixie Christine Zanders in 1960 in Sidney, Iowa. They raised their family in Malvern, where they resided for 58 years. During that time, both Raburn and Dixie were teachers and invested in the youth of the community. In 1974, he finished his teaching career in Malvern and started farming full-time. Raburn founded a successful seed business that he later passed on to Andrew Greiner. Raburn and Dixie loved to go square dancing, play bridge, golf, travel, and support their family. They spent many winters together in Florida and would travel to Estes Park, Colorado, before the year's harvest. Raburn was an active member of his community, from basketball in high school and baseball with the American Legion, to eventually supporting his own kids, grandkids, and other youth in their activities. He was also an avid leader and supporter of the local 4-H program and Teen Club. He volunteered with the local fire department and was involved in the Freemasons and Malvern United Methodist Church. His family members described him as strong, friend to all, a hard worker, and a perseverer. He was an eternal optimist and never complained, even in the hard times. Raburn was a comical relief for his family and loved to make his grandkids smile. During the final years and days of his life, he would often greet his family and friends with a smile and say a witty joke like, "How's the weather up there?" Raburn was preceded in death by parents, Max and Faye Benton; his beloved wife, Dixie Benton in 2021; son-in-law, Scott Gaylord; sister Eleanor (Benton) Hoover; and sister-in-law Sara Benton. Raburn is survived by children, Todd Benton and his wife Susan, Holly Gaylord, and Ty Benton and his wife Jade and her son Asher; grandchildren, Chloe Langworthy and her husband Matt, Caleb Gaylord and his wife Kelsey, Christian Gaylord, Haley Benton, Emma Benton and her fiance Jake Bartling, Benjamin Benton, Blair Fox and her husband Trey, and Zachary Benton; great-grandchildren, Sophie, Rosalie, and Charlotte Langworthy, Ryker, Ryan, and Rhys Gaylord, and Myles Fox; his brother, Roger Benton and wife Kathy; brother-in-law Dee Zanders and his wife Joan; sister-in-law Genelle Zanders; nieces, nephews, and many friends. Romans 5:3-5 states, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope..." Raburn Benton was a man of character and is now living out the hope he has in his Lord and Savior.