Newman Ovid Benson
Newman Ovid Benson
Newman Ovid Benson passed away peacefully on Feb. 17, 2025, in Chandler, Ariz. Newman was born on Aug. 4, 1928, in Drummond, Wis., the son of Ovid and Lillian (Wilson) Benson. He graduated from Drummond High School in 1946 where he was an exceptional athlete. He played both baseball and basketball. The basketball team won four straight conference and district championships. He also played the trumpet in his father’s high school band. In the fall of 1946, he attended the UW-River Falls (River Falls State Teachers College) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Science and Physical Education in 1950. His athletic abilities continued at the UW-River Falls where he won eight athletic letters, four in basketball and four in baseball. He signed a professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies where he played in Appleton for the Wisconsin State League as a shortstop. In 1950, he was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers and played with them for a month and half.
In November of 1950, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He took basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He spent 23 months in Japan and Korea during the Korean War with the 24th Infantry Division. He received the Medal of Freedom for Military Merit and obtained the rank of Sergeant. After Newman was discharged in 1953, he taught school in Bloomer, Wis. In the fall of 1954, he attended the University of Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., where he received a Master’s Degree in Physical Education. In 1955, he taught at Hayward High School and was united in marriage to Betty Ploof in 1957. He taught at Whitehall and Chippewa Falls High Schools and was named head basketball coach and physical education instructor at the UW-River Falls In 1967. Before retiring in 1990, he was inducted to the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame. Newman enjoyed camping trips with his family, hunting with his son, lap swimming, long morning walks, and playing golf with his wife at the SunBird Golf Resort where they lived. You could also hear him cheering on his Packers and Badgers.
Newman is survived by his wife of 68 years Betty, daughters, Jayne, Holly, and Barbara (Jeff Costello), and son Mark (Karen) in addition to six grandchildren and six great–grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother Roland and his mother and father. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for April 26 at 11 a.m. at the Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, where he was a member for 25 years.
Betty Jean Weber
Betty Jean Weber
Betty Jean Weber, 86, passed away on Feb. 3, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. She was born in Ypsilanti, Mich., on June 27, 1938. In the ’50s Betty moved to California and after 10 years moved to Arizona where she lived the rest of her life. It was in Arizona where she built a successful career as a cosmetologist and owned beauty shops in Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Sun Lakes, BJ’s Shear Class and BJ’s Hair Company. Her dedication to her craft and her clients made her a beloved figure in the community.
Beyond her professional life, Betty was known for her fun loving and vibrant spirit. She enjoyed shopping, shoes, and gardening. She loved the beach, going to the sand dunes, and traveling. She had a deep affection for birds and animals in general and cherished the companionship of her two fur baby pups, Rosie and Daisy.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents Mildred J. Bush and Fred K. Weber, sister Nancy Conrad, and brother Fred C. Weber. Betty is survived by her sisters Janet Lindvall and Gloria Hubbell and brothers Jim Weber and Mark Weber. She is also survived by her daughters Debra (John) Boylan and Sandra (Bob) Street, and her son Jon Selvidge. She had five grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She also had one unborn great-grandchild and one unborn great-great grandchild on the way. She was so excited to meet them.
We all LOVE and miss you so much, mom/grandma. Something she would say as her life was coming to an end was, “Don’t be sad for me, be happy, and celebrate my life, because I loved it!”
Her memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew her.