Kay Benson
Kathleen “Kay” Wilcox Benson, 84, of Chattanooga, died Monday, May 7, 2018, after a short illness at the Hospice of Chattanooga Care Center.
Mrs. Benson was a native of Chattanooga and an Irish Catholic who had love of family, politics and public service in her blood. The daughter of former City Commissioner Pat Wilcox and his wife Queena. Mrs. Benson was the wife of the late Jack Benson, whose three terms as City Councilman capped a career as an educator and leader in the non-profit sector. Born July 23, 1933, Mrs. Benson was a graduate of Notre Dame High School. She attended Webster Collage in St. Louis, Mo., for two years before returning to Chattanooga to work at the Hamilton County Courthouse. She met the love of her life on a blind date and married him on Feb. 4, 1955. It would be more than 59 years before Mr. Benson’s death parted them. Kay and Jack had three sons, and family was the center of Kay’s life. She was active in the parent organizations and as a school volunteer while her sons were growing up, and she was her husband’s essential support, sounding board and adviser in all his public and private endeavors . Mrs. Benson’s love and devotion to family was grounded, first in her love of God. She was a devout Catholic whose rosary and well worn prayer book were never far from reach. She was long active in service and fundraising at Sts. Peter and Paul Basilica. As a child, Kay was forever bringing home stray animals and was never in her life without a pet. She worked closely with her husband in support of building and sustaining the McCamey Animal Center. After her boys were well on their way in life, Mrs. Benson had an outside career of her own. She worked more than 20 years as an administration assistant to the director of the Chattanooga Education Association.
Survivors include her sons, Mark (Beth) Benson, Patrick (Jan) Benson, and William “Jack” Benson Jr., all of Chattanooga; sisters, Patrice Cook Wilcox, of Chattanooga, and Sheila Gordon Wilcox, of St. Petersburg, Fla.; grandchildren, Travis and Shelby Benson, of Chattanooga, Patrick “Pat” Benson Jr., of Chattanooga, Katie Benson Wild, of Dallas, TX; step-grandchildren, Ashley Rue, Anna Hughes, Shelby Wease, and Trey Wease; three stepgreat-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2018, at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church with Father Jim Vick and Father Burton Glennon officiating. Interment will follow the service at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Friday at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral on Moore Rd.
The family would like to give special thanks to Hospice of Chattanooga for their love and care for Mrs. Benson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the McKamey Animal Center at 4500 North Access Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37415 or on line at www.mckameyanimalcenter.org.
Please share your memories of Kay with the family at www.chattanoogaeastchapel. com
Arrangements are by the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist, 404 S. Moore Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37412.