AUGUSTA – Barbara Thompson Benson Ingham, 98, died Tuesday, July 26, at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta.

She was born in Machias on June 25, 1907, the daughter of Millard H.B. and Alice (Huntley) Thompson. Barbara and her sister, Katharine, who was two years older, grew up in Machias. Barbara graduated from Machias High School in 1924, Washington State Normal School (University of Maine Machias) in 1926, and received her registered nursing degree at Central Maine General Hospital (Central Maine Medical Center) in 1930. For the next year, she lived in Farmington while working at Franklin County Memorial Hospital.

In 1931, Barbara went to Winthrop and worked for Dr. Badger at his private hospital, where they would visit patients’ homes and she would administer anesthesia for minor surgery and childbirth. Also in 1931, she married Charles W. Benson, whom she had met at a dance. He was injured on the railroad in 1931 and was unable to work for five years, during which time they lived in Machias and on High Street in Winthrop, before buying a home on Western Avenue in 1940.

In 1954, Barbara went to work at Augusta General Hospital (MaineGeneral Medical Center) as head nurse on wards B-1 and B-2. When the new wing opened, she moved to the emergency room as head nurse and worked in that capacity until her retirement in 1975.

Barbara married Dwight Ingham in 1977, and they lived on Forest Avenue in Winthrop until they bought a house on Main Street in 1980. During her marriage to Dwight, they traveled extensively in the United States and throughout they world.

Barbara was an active member of the Center Street Congregational Church in Machias and the Winthrop United Congregational Church in Winthrop. She was treasurer of the Ladies’ Circle, was on the memorial committee and was a member of the Ladies’ Christmas Club in Winthrop. She made biscuits for the fish chowder luncheons for many years and sold articles for the Women’s Guild during the luncheons and church fairs. She was also a member of the Rebekah Lodge, O.E.S.

Barbara had several hobbies, including ceramics and her favorite one of knitting. She would knit sweaters for church fairs, as well as socks and mittens for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by a daughter and two sons, Sarah “Sally” Slauenwhite of Monmouth and her children, Bill and Sue, James Benson and his wife, Marge, of Augusta and their children, Charlie, Carrie and Michele, and Richard Benson and his wife, Judy, of Bingham and their children, Todd, Glenn and Laura; two stepdaughters, Nancy Lewis and her husband, David, of North Monmouth and their children, Jennifer and Peter, and Joyce Freeman and her husband, David, of Cape Elizabeth and their children, Bill and Jessica; numerous great-grandchildren; and a nephew, Gary McKenney, of Auburn.

She was predeceased by her first husband, Charles Benson, and her second husband, Dwight Ingham; her sister, Katharine McKenney; and her son-in-law, Ed Slauenwhite.

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