Rowena Benson

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Beverly “Rowena” Crafton Benson was born on July 6, 1932, in Portageville, Missouri, to the late Hugh Wallace Crafton and Pauline Adams Crafton. She passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, at the Portageville Nursing Center at 91 years, two months and 24 days.

Rowena graduated from Wardell High School in 1950, and shortly after graduation, she moved to Portageville and began work at her first job, the 5- and 10-cent store. She later started working for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She worked for the telephone company for many years at several locations. From Portageville, she went on and worked at Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; and lastly in Los Angeles, California, with the phone company. She moved from California, after living there for 20 years, to Champaign, Illinois. In Champaign, she had a secretarial position with the University of Illinois. In later years, she made her home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, working as a secretary at the Southeast College of Nursing. Thirteen years later, she moved back to her hometown of Portageville to be closer to her family. Rowena had no children of her own but had many nephews and nieces who she loved dearly.

Preceding her in death were her parents; one brother, Dwane Crafton; nephew, Mark Crafton; sister-in-law, Cecile Crafton; a brother-in-law, Gary Baker; and a niece, Debbie Baker.

She leaves to cherish her memories: three brothers, Edmond (Stephanie) Crafton of Portageville, Terrell (Brenda) Crafton of Hayti, Missouri, Roger (Carol) Crafton of Heber Springs, Arkansas; three sisters, Dwanda (Bud) Myers of Champaign, Sharon (Scottie) Patterson of Portageville and Wilma Baker of Portageville; and many other nieces and nephews.

Visitation will begin Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, at 11 a.m. until time of service at noon at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville with chaplain Callie Crafton officiating.