Robert Kenneth Benzinger

September 4, 1940 - November 29, 2020

Robert Kenneth Benzinger, 80 years old, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 29, 2020 at the Autumn Care Nursing Facility in Statesville, North Carolina. He leaves behind his wife of 58 years, Celia Ann (Clauson) Benzinger; his daughter, Lori Jones (Jack Jones); his son, Ronald Benzinger (Nereida Benzinger); two grandchildren, Tyler Buckley (Ellen Buckley) and Emily Buckley; two great-grandchildren, Solomon and Benjamin Buckley, and many loving relatives and close friends. The eldest of 14 children, Robert was born September 4th, 1940 to Joseph K. Benzinger and Ethel Downs Benzinger, both deceased. He grew up and graduated in Windham, Connecticut. He met his wife, Celia Clauson, at church, and they were married at the Willimantic Seventh- Day Adventist Church in 1962. They raised their children in Colchester, Connecticut, where after working for HR Hanson selling livestock and equipment, Robert started several business ventures of his own including BMB Builders, BCB Equipment, and BJ’s Bulldozing. Robert had a passion for his church family and for community service, a way in which he met and made many lifelong friends. He was always quick with a joke and enjoyed telling stories of growing up with 11 sisters and 2 brothers on the family farm. A memorial will be held in his honor at Mocksville Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Mocksville, NC on Thursday December 3rd, 2020 at 3 p.m. An additional memorial celebration will be held in Willimantic, Connecticut in the Spring of 2021. Friends and relatives will be informed once arrangements are made.