Ralph Benso - Obituary

alph Joseph Benso, 90, a 23-year resident of Annapolis and formerly of Adelphi, MD, died at his home on September 19, 2014. Born on June 8, 1924 in Frontenac, KS to the late Samuel and Anne Benso. Ralph graduated from Danbury High School in Connecticut. He received a Bachelor of Business Degree from Georgetown University where he also played center for the Hoya’s Football Team. Ralph proudly served as an Airplane Armorer Gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He flew 18 missions over Germany in a B24 Liberator. In his civilian life, Ralph was a successful businessman who founded and operated NATCO Business Furniture. Ralph was a humanitarian who supported many charities. He was a member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church , the Fleet Reserve and Elks Lodge, and the Heritage Harbour Dining Club. He enjoyed cooking, traveling, watching cowboy movies and, most of all, spending time with his family and friends. Ralph was the loving husband of the late Mary Pat Benso, whom he married on July 2, 1949 and who died on March 4, 2014; devoted father of Michael (Laura) Benso of West River, David (Christy) Benso of Millersville, Patricia (Farhad) Golshani of Centreville and Peggy (Paul) Gabor of Gambrills; brother of the late Ellen Marshall, Emil and Albert Benso; grandfather of Eden, Amber and Leah Golshani, Shannon and Megan Gabor, Joan, Mary and Anna Benso and Nadia Benso-Lennon; great-grandfather of Chole, Sean, Desiree, Andre, Jeremiah, David, Joseph, Keith, Natasha and Lydia. Friends are invited to Ralph’s Life Celebration at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater on Thursday, September 25 from 11am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W. Central Avenue, Davidsonville on Friday, September 26 at 10am. Interment Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Crownsville. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Hwy, Pasadena, MD 21122. An online guestbook is available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com