Alida (Alice) Pannekeet Benden, 97, of Albion, passed away under hospice care in Jackson on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
She was born June 29, 1918 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, to Treintje and Pieter Pannekeet. When she was five, she nearly drowned in a canal, but was rescued by a passerby. That scare spurred a determination to learn to swim, and Alida paid for lessons by delivering newspapers for her father's business. She remained a strong swimmer until her early 90s.
At age 17, Alida had to raise her six younger siblings after their mother was hospitalized and never returned home.
Alida married Leonard Benden on April 4, 1940. Germany occupied Holland a short time later, and the next five years brought three sons and very difficult circumstances.
In 1956, Alida and Leonard emigrated to Albion, Michigan. To help make ends meet, she started a cleaning business, and developed a clientele of local physicians and dentists. In the mid 1960s, Alida earned her GED, and became a child care worker at the Calhoun County Juvenile Home in Marshall. She attended Michigan State University and was certified as a social worker in 1974, and became a supervisor in 1975.
Her husband, Leonard, died in 1976.
After her retirement, Alida returned to the Netherlands, where she lived until 1997, when she moved to California. In 2000, she came back to Albion, where she participated in Albion Adult Lifelong Learning activities and classes. She was a member of ELT and American Association of University Women.
Alida was an avid knitter and crocheter, and made many beautiful gifts for family, friends, and strangers. She also enjoyed reading, music, and crossword puzzles.
She is survived by her sons, Leonard (Gloria) Benden of Charlotte, Peter (Christine) Benden of Parma, and Paul (Linda) Benden of Albion, and her daughter, Rina (Andy Thomas) of Ann Arbor, and by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
There will be no services and cremation has taken place. Her ashes will be returned to her beloved Nederland.
She was born June 29, 1918 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, to Treintje and Pieter Pannekeet. When she was five, she nearly drowned in a canal, but was rescued by a passerby. That scare spurred a determination to learn to swim, and Alida paid for lessons by delivering newspapers for her father's business. She remained a strong swimmer until her early 90s.
At age 17, Alida had to raise her six younger siblings after their mother was hospitalized and never returned home.
Alida married Leonard Benden on April 4, 1940. Germany occupied Holland a short time later, and the next five years brought three sons and very difficult circumstances.
In 1956, Alida and Leonard emigrated to Albion, Michigan. To help make ends meet, she started a cleaning business, and developed a clientele of local physicians and dentists. In the mid 1960s, Alida earned her GED, and became a child care worker at the Calhoun County Juvenile Home in Marshall. She attended Michigan State University and was certified as a social worker in 1974, and became a supervisor in 1975.
Her husband, Leonard, died in 1976.
After her retirement, Alida returned to the Netherlands, where she lived until 1997, when she moved to California. In 2000, she came back to Albion, where she participated in Albion Adult Lifelong Learning activities and classes. She was a member of ELT and American Association of University Women.
Alida was an avid knitter and crocheter, and made many beautiful gifts for family, friends, and strangers. She also enjoyed reading, music, and crossword puzzles.
She is survived by her sons, Leonard (Gloria) Benden of Charlotte, Peter (Christine) Benden of Parma, and Paul (Linda) Benden of Albion, and her daughter, Rina (Andy Thomas) of Ann Arbor, and by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
There will be no services and cremation has taken place. Her ashes will be returned to her beloved Nederland.
Alida (Alice) Pannekeet Benden, 97, of Albion, passed away under hospice care in Jackson on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
She was born June 29, 1918 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, to Treintje and Pieter Pannekeet. When she was five, she nearly drowned in a canal, but was rescued by a passerby. That scare spurred a determination to learn to swim, and Alida paid for lessons by delivering newspapers for her father's business. She remained a strong swimmer until her early 90s.
At age 17, Alida had to raise her six younger siblings after their mother was hospitalized and never returned home.
Alida married Leonard Benden on April 4, 1940. Germany occupied Holland a short time later, and the next five years brought three sons and very difficult circumstances.
In 1956, Alida and Leonard emigrated to Albion, Michigan. To help make ends meet, she started a cleaning business, and developed a clientele of local physicians and dentists. In the mid 1960s, Alida earned her GED, and became a child care worker at the Calhoun County Juvenile Home in Marshall. She attended Michigan State University and was certified as a social worker in 1974, and became a supervisor in 1975.
Her husband, Leonard, died in 1976.
After her retirement, Alida returned to the Netherlands, where she lived until 1997, when she moved to California. In 2000, she came back to Albion, where she participated in Albion Adult Lifelong Learning activities and classes. She was a member of ELT and American Association of University Women.
Alida was an avid knitter and crocheter, and made many beautiful gifts for family, friends, and strangers. She also enjoyed reading, music, and crossword puzzles.
She is survived by her sons, Leonard (Gloria) Benden of Charlotte, Peter (Christine) Benden of Parma, and Paul (Linda) Benden of Albion, and her daughter, Rina (Andy Thomas) of Ann Arbor, and by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
There will be no services and cremation has taken place. Her ashes will be returned to her beloved Nederland.
She was born June 29, 1918 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, to Treintje and Pieter Pannekeet. When she was five, she nearly drowned in a canal, but was rescued by a passerby. That scare spurred a determination to learn to swim, and Alida paid for lessons by delivering newspapers for her father's business. She remained a strong swimmer until her early 90s.
At age 17, Alida had to raise her six younger siblings after their mother was hospitalized and never returned home.
Alida married Leonard Benden on April 4, 1940. Germany occupied Holland a short time later, and the next five years brought three sons and very difficult circumstances.
In 1956, Alida and Leonard emigrated to Albion, Michigan. To help make ends meet, she started a cleaning business, and developed a clientele of local physicians and dentists. In the mid 1960s, Alida earned her GED, and became a child care worker at the Calhoun County Juvenile Home in Marshall. She attended Michigan State University and was certified as a social worker in 1974, and became a supervisor in 1975.
Her husband, Leonard, died in 1976.
After her retirement, Alida returned to the Netherlands, where she lived until 1997, when she moved to California. In 2000, she came back to Albion, where she participated in Albion Adult Lifelong Learning activities and classes. She was a member of ELT and American Association of University Women.
Alida was an avid knitter and crocheter, and made many beautiful gifts for family, friends, and strangers. She also enjoyed reading, music, and crossword puzzles.
She is survived by her sons, Leonard (Gloria) Benden of Charlotte, Peter (Christine) Benden of Parma, and Paul (Linda) Benden of Albion, and her daughter, Rina (Andy Thomas) of Ann Arbor, and by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
There will be no services and cremation has taken place. Her ashes will be returned to her beloved Nederland.
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