Floyd Benjamin
February 11, 2004
Floyd "Willard" Benjamin, 86, a longtime East Scranton resident, died Wednesday evening at the Lackawanna County Health Care Center, Blakely, where he resided for the past three years. His wife, the former Alice Elizabeth Bird, died Nov. 28, 2000. They had been married for 65 years.
Born Jan. 21, 1918, in Utica, N.Y., son of the late Floyd and Theadora Benjamin, he later moved to Lake Ariel and was a graduate of Lake Ariel High School.
He was a member of the Myrtle Street United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Men. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, Moscow Lodge 504, and the Keystone Consistory.
He spent 37 years of his life working as a conductor for the Lackawanna Railroad, which merged with the Erie Lackawanna and Western Railroad on April 13, 1941. His career started out in the era of steam power and worked through the transition to diesel power and, finally, to passenger service. He was a conductor on the last run of the Phoebe Snow, Nov. 27, 1966.
Before retirement, he had also been employed by the Petersburg Silk Mill.
After retirement, he went to Bellows Falls, Vt., to help select the trains for the Steamtown exhibit. He heard that a conductor was needed, so he helped fill the bill; he did volunteer work and was later put on payroll. He had a great love for his family and people of all ages, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Surviving are two daughters, Florence Mackes, Clarks Summit, and Carolyn "Connie" Arbochus, Scranton; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Norvelle Lopienski and Aline Benjamin.
The funeral will be Saturday with services at 10 a.m. in the Miller Bean Funeral Home Inc., 436 Cedar Ave., by the Rev. Betty J. Reilly, pastor, Myrtle Street United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Earl P. Trygar, rector, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Moscow. Interment will be private in Moscow Cemetery.
Friends may call today, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Masonic services will be held Friday at 7:15 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Myrtle Street United Methodist Church, 840 Harrison Ave., 18510-1402, or to the Lackawanna County Health Care Center, Sturges Road, Olyphant, 18447.