Frederick "Fred" Warren Benson

Frederick Benson, 80, passed away peacefully at the Scandinavian Nursing Home, Cranston, following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was the husband of Susan (Schwartz) Benson. Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Paul and Charlotte (Morse) Benson.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his sons Matthew and his wife Amy Kanyuk, David, Jared and his wife Christina Rodriguez, and Paul and his significant other Allison O’Neill. He also leaves behind three grandchildren, Rachel, Julia, and David. Fred was also the brother to Valerie Baxter (Richard), Nancy Mari (Lee), Linda Abraham (John), Carol Muroaka and the late David Benson (Nieves).

He was well known for his signature full beard, colorful language, bad puns, chamois shirts, and love of Sam’s Club. Many who knew him well never remember seeing him clean-shaven or wearing anything other than a chamois shirt and Dickie’s (even in the warmest of weather).

He enjoyed traveling widely both domestically and internationally. He especially enjoyed his trips to Newfoundland and exploring the family’s Canadian roots there.

He also was a wealth of information on matters big and small. His Yankee ingenuity and knowledge of seemingly everything (including cars, electricity, plumbing, carpentry, and masonry) meant there was no issue he couldn’t fix and no machine he could not repair. He passed on some of this knowledge to his sons (more successfully to some than to others) and remained always willing to answer questions and share his wisdom.

He attended Brown University and then was drafted and served in the army as a military police officer in Vietnam. After returning home, he continued his college education and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Fisheries and Marine Technology. His non-conformist tendencies and entrepreneurial spirit led him to a life as a commercial fisherman and he purchased his own fishing boat, the Lucky 13, which he ran successfully for many years.

He was a man that always was determined to act in a way that was consistent with his principles. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and others that sought him out for his knowledge and advice.

There will be a brief burial ceremony (open to all) at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, RI on January 14, 2023 at 11:30AM, followed by a private gathering of immediate family and close friends. We are asking those who would like to attend the ceremony to meet in the office parking lot at 11:15AM to be lined up for the procession.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to HopeHealth Hospice, Scandinavian Nursing Home, or to another charity of your choosing. (Links provided below).

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the medical staff at Dana Farber in Boston and the South County Cancer Center in South Kingstown, RI, and to the veteran advocates at the VA. We also want to extend a special thanks to the Scandinavian Nursing Home and HopeHealth Hospice for their compassionate, invaluable support.