Clark Kertell BENSON

Aus Find A Grave: Clark Kertell Benson GEBURT 10 Sept 1915 San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA TOD 24 Apr 2011 (im Alter von 95) California, USA BESTATTUNG Cremated GEDENKSTÄTTEN-ID 204400905 September 10, 1915 - April 24, 2011 Clark Kertell Benson was born in San Francisco on September 10, 1915 to James Clark and Florence Kertell Benson. The beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, businessman and gentleman to all who knew him died peacefully on Easter morning surrounded by his surviving children. In his ninety-five plus years Clark Benson loved life, established a thriving business, traveled the world and treasured his family. At the age of two his family moved to San Mateo where his sister Annabelle was born. Tragedy struck the family in 1921 when his mother died in the Spanish Influenza epidemic. For a time Clark lived with his Uncle George Kertell, a mechanical drawing and auto shop teacher for San Mateo High School and the inspiration for Clark's interest in mechanical engineering. When his father, a San Francisco attorney, remarried Edna Reeves the family returned to San Francisco where Clark attended school and graduated from Lowell High School in 1933. Clark enjoyed athletics and outdoor pursuits. In high school and college he played basketball. While growing up he helped his father build the rustic family cabin in Pescadero. The family spent summers and holidays in the Pescadero coastal community, and Clark especially enjoyed fly fishing and hiking the Redwood covered hillsides. Clark went to Cogswell Polytechnical College where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering and graduated with honors in 1935. He graduated during the Depression but was able to secure a good job with Precision Engineering, a company that built and installed combustion controls for industrial boilers and ovens. In 1939 Clark went to work for Natural Gas Equipment as their Chief Engineer and became engaged in the manufacture of industrial furnaces and ovens. Prior to the U.S. involvement in World War II he was one of the engineers on the project to build the furnaces for the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. He designed, built and placed in operation the world's largest forging facility at that time, American Forge in Albany, CA, a company that made the shafts for naval ships and aircraft carriers. After Pearl Harbor Clark tried to enlist, but a heart murmur disqualified him for military service. Instead he committed his engineering expertise to the war effort and continued to develop many industrial designs and patents to support military defense. Following the war Clark worked to promote the post war economy. He developed and patented gas fired heat systems for the timber and steel industries, but he was always seeking new business and manufacturing opportunities. He recognized the potential in the growing processed food industry and began designing cooking equipment with an emphasis on continuous potato chip cookers and equipment for the snack and processed prepared food industry. Clark Benson joined with five other founding partners to establish Heat and Control, Inc. in 1952 in San Francisco. Clark was the Chief Engineer in the early years until 1963 when he became President. He and his remaining partner, Andrew Caridis led the company on a course of international expansion and under their leadership Heat and Control, Inc. established a reputation for customer service. The company, which began as a supplier of heat exchangers and cookers, became a full service provider of complete processing systems for the food industry, including product handling and distribution. At age 75 when Clark Benson became the C.E.O. and Chairman of the Board, the company had expanded with plants in the United States, Mexico, Europe and Australia. In 1996 at age 83 he became Chairman Emeritus and retired. He received the Circle of Honor Award that same year, the highest award of recognition in the Snack Food Industry International for design contributions in the advancement of the industry. During his professional career, Clark secured fifteen international patents for his engineering designs. With all his professional success Clark Benson's proudest achievement was his family. He married the love of his life, Betty Anne Evers, February 27, 1944 and they enjoyed sixty-seven years together. They began their marriage in San Francisco and moved to Millbrae in 1947. After a few years back in San Francisco they returned to Millbrae with their family of five children where Clark designed and built their home on Millbrae Avenue. Clark's love of life inspired the family to enjoy a variety of interests. In the early years the family spent summers at Lake Tahoe. Clark was an avid yachtsman and taught his family how to sail beginning with small boat racing and later sailing on San Francisco Bay out of Oyster Point Yacht Club on the Bettina I and II. Clark's passion was golf and he enjoyed playing with family, friends and business associates on courses all over the world, but especially on his favorite course, Silverado, where he and Betty shared a retreat in Napa. A man of great integrity, genuine compassion and a gracious spirit, Clark Benson forged enduring friendships with business associates and acquaintances across the country and around the world. He was an active member of the Episcopal Church, particularly St. Peter's parish in San Francisco, St. Andrew's in San Bruno, Ascension in Burlingame and most recently St. Paul's in Burlingame. As a seventy-five year member of the Masonic Lodge, he held the rank of 33rd Degree and was an ardent supporter of the Shriner's Hospital. Clark served on the Board of Trustees of Cogswell College for twenty-five years and for a period of time held the position of Chairman of the Board. Clark was able to live out his days in the Millbrae home he loved with his wife Betty and the support of his staff of care givers. He was preceded in death by his son Henry Benson and his sister Annabelle Benson Bush. Clark is survived by his wife Betty; oldest son, Clark Benson Jr. of Napa; son Jeffrey Benson of Foster City; daughter Lucinda Jensen of Eugene, OR; daughter Bettina Holquist of Burlingame; nephews Dr. Robert Bush of San Francisco and Roger Bush of Oakland; thirteen grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. It is not the way the wind blows, it's how you set your sails. Clark Benson set his sails well, and he sails on in our hearts and memories. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 415 El Camino Real, Burlingame, on May 10 at 10:30 am with reception following the service. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions in memory of Clark K. Benson be made to the Shriner's Hospital or St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Published in San Francisco Chronicle on May 5, 2011 Familienmitglieder Ehepartner Photo Betty Anne Evers Benson 1921-2015 (m. 1944)

Comments