NORWAY – Robert Walter Benson, 81, of Oxford Street, Fryeburg, died Monday, Nov. 24, at Stephens Memorial Hospital after complications from a surgery in August.

He was born July 21, 1927 to Shirley and Arlene Burgess Benson of Fryeburg. He attended the Little Red School House at Toll Bridge and graduated early from Fryeburg Academy in March 1945, so he could enlist in the Navy during World War II.

He served as quarter master third class aboard a naval patrol boat in the Pacific. After V-J Day, he served out the rest of his enlistment on Guam helping to rebuild the Naval Air Base. He returned to Maine in July 1946, and married Mary A. Heald on June 21, 1948.

He worked as an artificial breeder for the Maine Dairymen’s Association, ran the family dairy farm in Fryeburg until 1960, worked at Cranmore Mountain in the mid 1960s, worked as a truck driver and carpenter for many years, and was part-time postal carrier until 1979, when he moved to Tampa, Fla.

In Florida, he worked as a carpenter and later as a postal carrier until his retirement in 1992. He returned to Fryeburg after the death of his long-time companion, Delores Gilbert, in 2002.

He loved the sport of baseball and as a boy of 8 while visiting his maternal grandparents got to rub elbows with the Red Sox players of the time. He played basketball at Fryeburg Academy and was a member of the State Championship Team in 1945. He also played football and was a die hard Patriots fan years before the Patriots won the championship. He enjoyed deer hunting with his friends and later his sons and also enjoyed ice fishing.

He was a charter and life member of the Fryeburg-Lovell VFW Post 6703 in Lovell and served as the post commander for several years. He also helped coach the VFW Pony League baseball team for several years.

He is survived by three children, Michael Benson of Cornish, Ellen Benson Guilford of Lisbon and Robert Benson and his wife, Kate, of Cornish; six grandchildren, Mary Anderson and her husband, Brian, of Millinocket, Steven Benson and his wife, Courtney, of Hiram, Cory Guilford of South Carolina, Jessica, Lillian and Joshua Benson, all of Cornish; three great-grandchildren, Kody Tufts of Cornish, Jacob Anderson of Millinocket and Wesley Benson of Hiram.

He was predeceased by his wife, Mary; and a grandson, Shawn P. Smith in July of this year.