James Benson

Mr. James Daniel “Dan” Benson, 58 of Myersville, Maryland passed away on Monday June 27, 2011 at Frederick Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with metastatic rectal cancer.

Dan was born in Bethesda, MD on October 28, 1952 to James Wade “Buddy” Benson and the late Annie Belle Williams Benson. He graduated from Richard Montgomery High School where he met his wife, Katherine Mae McLelland Benson; they married in 1972.

Dan ran his own business, Benson Custom Masonry, for more than 35 years; he worked together with his father for most of his life, restoring homes and specializing in the preservation of historic stone work. His labor of love of working with brick and stone can be seen throughout Maryland and the D.C. area, as he took pride in building to last for generations.

He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution as a 12th generation Marylander, and was a member of the First Christian Church of Boonsboro, MD.

In addition to his wife, father, and father’s wife Sharon Benson, he is survived by his son Cory Benson, wife Veronika, and granddaughter Rebecca Roubaix of Prague, Czech Republic; his daughter Hilari Varnadore, husband Jason, granddaughter Bree Daniel, and grandson Kit Michael of Myersville, MD; his four elder sisters Brenda Pettry and husband Jim, Janice Adkinson and husband Randy, JoAnn Poore and husband Ross, and Debbie Effle and husband John; as well as many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends and family at Stauffer Funeral Home, in Frederick, MD on Saturday July 2nd at 1:45 p.m., with a memorial service beginning at 2:30 p.m. A celebration of his love, life, friends and family will follow the ceremony in Myersville.

Dan will be buried in a private ceremony at Monocacy Cemetery in Beallsville, MD where 6 generations of Bensons are interred. In lieu of flowers, condolences can be made online at staufferfuneralhome.com and donations can be made in Dan’s honor to the C&O Canal Trust at canaltrust.org.