MARY JOSEPHINE BENTON

Josephine Benton (Mary Josephine Griffin) was born in Lubbock, TX on Oct. 13, 1925, and passed away at Williamsport Retirement Village on Oct. 30, 2024. She was the only child of Albert Charles Griffin, Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) evangelist/minister, and Hilah Olena (Atwood) Griffin, schoolteacher.

Josephine graduated as class valedictorian of both Southwestern Junior College in Keene, TX (1944) and Union College in Lincoln, NE (1947). She earned B. A. degrees in Speech and English, and married Elvin Benton in 1947. They moved to Texas and then Colorado. Jo worked part time as a teacher of English and Speech and raised two sons, Roy and David. She also earned a Ph.D. in Speech from the University of Denver. The family moved to Maryland for Dr. Benton to teach Speech at Columbia Union College in Takoma Park (1963-73). She then became a pioneering Seventh-day Adventist woman minister, serving as an associate pastor of the 2,000 member Sligo SDA Church (1973-79), then lead pastor of the Rockville, MD SDA Church (1979-82). After an amicable divorce, Josephine transitioned back to education, first as a professor at Montgomery Junior College (1982-85), then returned to Columbia Union College as an administrator of the Adult Evening Program (1985-90). After formal retirement, “MamaBear” bought a 13-acre tree farm in Smithsburg, the site of many extended-family activities, authored a book on SDA women ministers, served for 17 years as chaplain at Williamsport Retirement Village, was active in the Williamsport Ministerium and Williamsport SDA Church for 30 years. She was a tireless organizer and supporter of Hagerstown’s REACH cold-weather shelter.

Josephine played the organ and piano, she enjoyed hiking from her farm to the Appalachian trail and watching birds, deer and bears from her library window.

She is survived by her 2 sons Roy Albert Benton (Cynthia Westerbeck) and David Elvin Benton (Wendy (Fogg) Benton); 5 grandsons: Thomas Benton (Sirill (Torkelsen) Benton), John Benton (Jackie (Randall) Benton), Jesse David Benton (Tarah (Solie) Benton), Andrew McFarland Benton (Bridget Campbell), and Zachary McFarland Benton; and 6 great-grandchildren: Miranda Benton, Aubrey Josephine Benton, Geneina Torkelsen Benton, Odessa Wynn Solie Benton, Emmett Benton Campbell, and Silas Benton Campbell.

Private burial will be alongside her parents in George Washington Cemetery, Adelphi, MD. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the REACH cold weather shelter in Hagerstown.