Orville âAlâ Benton

Funeral services for Al Benton, 90 year old Buffalo resident who passed away quietly Sunday morning, at the Johnson County Health Care Center in Buffalo, will be held Friday February 10^th at 2:00 p.m. at the Summit Wesleyan Church in Buffalo with Pastors William Dunlap and John Orwig officiating. Visitation will be held from the funeral home chapel on Thursday from 3:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. A private family interment will take place at a later date. The American Legion and VFW will be in charge of military rites. Donations in Al’s memory may be made to the VFW Post 2469 or American Legion Post 13 in care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com
Orville Alvin Benton was born July 22, 1926 in Gutherie Center, Iowa to Frank and Rosa Benton. He grew up the youngest of fifteen children and went to school in Gutherie Center where he graduated from Gutherie Center High School with the class of 1944. After high school he joined the war effort and worked in an aircraft plant in Omaha, Nebraska building B-52’s. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945. During WWII he served in the occupation of Japan following the bombings and also during the Korean Conflict. He was in active duty for eight years, receiving an honorable discharge in 1953. At that time Al moved to Sheridan, Wyoming to live with family. He moved to Lodge Grass, Montana where he worked for the Formanac Ranch and the New Holland dealership. In 1961 he moved to Buffalo where he lived on the Greub Ranch on Piney Creek. He worked for Massey Ferguson in Buffalo as an experienced farm machinery mechanic and also co-owned the John Deere dealership in Buffalo. For a short period, Al managed the Legion Club east of Buffalo. He worked for the Johnson County Co-Op for 20 years delivering fuel throughout Johnson County. Following retirement he continued to live in Buffalo until his death.
He was a seventy year member of the American Legion and served as the Buffalo Post Commander and State Commander from 1973 until 1975 and also a member of the VFW. He was a lifetime member of Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation; he was a member of Masonic Lodge #7 AF and AM, and the Kalif Shrine where he was a member of the Buckskin Patrol. He was a past member of the Buffalo Gun Club and the Buffalo Lions Club. He built his first rifle at a young age and continued his passion for gunsmithing throughout his life. He was an avid hunter and fisherman who loved the outdoors and spent time working with his son Cole as a hunting guide. He enjoyed helping with cattle at his son’s ranch and having morning coffee with the guys. He and Jenny spent many hours enjoying quiet time at the Benton cabin located on the Bighorn Mountains.
Al is survived by his wife Jenny Benton of Buffalo, Wyoming; son Cole Benton and his wife Elaine of Leiter, Wyoming; daughters Tamara Filcaske and her husband Don of Gillette, Wyoming; Laurie Alger and her husband Burton of Deer River, Minnesota, Ileta Neutsel and her husband Keith of Buffalo, Wyoming, Janet Cose of Casey, Iowa, and Beverlee Magill and her husband Bob of Stratham, Georgia; twenty grandchildren; twenty-five great-grandchildren; and numerous great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; fourteen brothers and sisters; and one grandson.