Cecil Benton Obituary

Cecil Francis Benton died June 25th2018, he was 92. He was born November 18, 1925 in a farm house in St. John, Kansas to Marge Davis Benton and Lloyd F. Benton. At the age of 10 Cecil traveled alone on a bus to Colorado to be with his father in Marvel, Co. With his father's consent he enlisted in the Navy on November 19, 1942. He was in three invasions before undergoing training for underwater demolition (UDT). He served his country to the end of World War II, January 16, 1946. Retuning to Marvel he married Mary Ellen Gibbs on March 9, 1947 and moved around the four corners area before settling in Durango. In 1962 Cecil worked for La Plata County Road Department as a road foreman until he retired in 1985. Mary and Cecil traveled all over the world, tracing some of his time in the Navy. They also traveled across the US there was always a road that they wanted to see where it led. Cecil had a green thumb raising vegetables and fruits he shared with family and friends. He was an avid antique bottle collector, taking his family to old towns and mine thorough out Southwestern Colorado in search of a rare find. Cecil outlived his wife Mary of 69 years, daughter Donna Gail Benton James and son Howard Lloyd Benton. Surviving children are Charlene Ann Goff, Deborah Benton Whitley, Carol Diane Melcher, 5 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Memorial Services be held October 7 at 1:00 PM at the Marvel Grange.