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<p>Born in Nashville, TN on May 5, 1953, N<em>orman Gustaf “Norm” Benson II</em> was destined for great things. His parents, Jean and Norman G. Benson, raised Norm in Yankton, SD. His father was a World War II veteran of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division in Italy.</p>
<p>Norm excelled in academics and athletics at Yankton High School. He was a straight-A student throughout, ranking third in his graduating class. He ran cross-country and won a merit award for exceptional performance in wrestling. He was an Eagle Scout, certified scuba diver, a member of the booster club and rifle club, and a merit award recipient in the drama club. He loved spending time outdoors, especially during hunting season. He applied for and was accepted at both the Naval Academy and West Point and chose West Point.</p>
<p>Norm entered West Point in July 1971 as a member of the Class of 1975. He quickly adapted to the rigors of cadet life, doing very well in both academics and intramural sports. What his classmates learned right away about Norm was the endearing qualities of his magnetic personality and wonderful sense of humor. He got along with virtually everyone and could find humor in most things, even during plebe year. While still a cadet, when the rest of his classmates were going to Airborne School or to an assignment with an Army unit for summer training, Norm chose to go to Ranger School, the toughest training in the Army. He passed with flying colors and proudly wore the Ranger Tab on his cadet uniform.</p>
<p>Norm was always available to help the younger cadets with either academics or military training. He was very approachable and congenial as an upperclassman. To nobody’s surprise, Norm chose to serve in the Infantry following graduation in June 1975. In his first three to four years in the Army, he went to Airborne School, Pathfinder School, and Jungle Warfare School. He also was a Master Parachutist and was awarded the Expert Infantryman Badge. His first assignment was in the Panama Canal Zone, where he was a rifle and mortar platoon leader. While he was in the Canal Zone, he met his wife, Cecilia “Cecy.” They were together for 18 months and were married one week before Norm was reassigned to the States. He brought Cecy and her three kids (Paula, Carlos, and Marcelo) to Savannah, GA, where he adopted them. Norm and Cecy were together for 48 years.</p>
<p>In Savannah, Norm was assigned to the 1st Ranger Battalion as a platoon leader and company executive officer, and then to a company command with the 24th Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, GA.</p>
<p>Although he enjoyed the military, Norm chose to try civilian life in 1982. He went to work for Amoco Oil as a petroleum engineer in Casper, WY. With Amoco, Anadarko Oil, and finally Greenfields Petroleum, Norm’s family life was a whirlwind of both domestic and international assignments. Following postings in Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas, he bounced from assignments in Gabon and Congo, Cairo, Sakhalin Island in Russia, Sofia, Caracas and Bogota, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Algeria, and Azerbaijan. Along the way, Norm and Cecy welcomed two more children, Lawrence in 1979 and Alexander in 1991.</p>
<p>Besides the impressive personal and professional achievements, Norm exhibited many interesting and enduring traits. He was an avid reader and a lifelong learner, especially passionate about history, geopolitics, and culture. He maintained a large personal library and loved visiting museums and exploring new ideas. He traveled extensively throughout his life, visiting many countries and understanding their histories. He organized family expeditions into Egypt’s Faiyum Desert, exploring ancient Roman ruins and hunting for arrowheads.</p>
<p>Norm approached people with empathy and invested the time to deeply understand them. He rarely raised his voice, preferring to lead through calm, steady presence and carefully chosen words. He forgave easily, driven by understanding rather than judgement. Norm had a core belief in the power of hard work, responsibility, and perseverance to change lives. He was known for mentoring young people during his international career, helping individuals from difficult circumstances in Bulgaria and Kazakhstan find new opportunities and build better futures. He strongly believed in and had a lifelong commitment to physical fitness and conditioning and could probably still fit into his cadet uniforms. In 2012, he completed a triathlon, the Three Peaks Challenge in England, a significant bucket list achievement.</p>
<p>Norm appreciated the arts and entertainment, especially movies and theater. He maintained a detailed spreadsheet tracking every movie and show he watched with personal notes and ratings.</p>
<p>Following his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis, Norm refused to slow down. He traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Norway, Antarctica, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Cuba, Sri Lanka, India, Romania, Kosovo, Canada, and Spain. This, of course, was a testament to his enduring curiosity, resilience, and love of learning.</p>
<p>So, what is Norm’s legacy? He is described by his friends as a “Warrior Scholar,” a man who combined intellectual rigor, physical discipline, humility, compassion, and quiet leadership. He is known for creating a family life anchored in love, discipline, and mutual respect. He continued to offer perspective, steadiness, and strength to his family and friends even in his final months. He firmly believed a life well lived was measured by the relationships you build, the kindness you show and the resilience you embody. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">He will be dearly missed by his family.</span></p>
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<p>Well Done, Norm! Be Thou at Peace.</p>
<p><em>— Mark Readinger, Classmate; Lawrence Benson, Son</em></p>
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