Arthur Allen Benish

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Arthur Allen Benish, 92, of Hickory, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015, at Catawba Regional Hospice. He was born March 20, 1923, in Detroit, Mich. and he grew up in Flint, Mich.

Arthur served in the Army during World War II for 3 years, first as an MP and later in the Pacific Theatre of Operations in the Signal Corps.

He married the love of his life Frances Penland on January 19, 1952. She precede him in death on Aug. 1, 1999. They lived in South Bend, Indiana for 30 years, where he was Supervisor of the Data Processing Department for the Indiana Toll Road until his retirement in 1988 when they returned to her hometown of Hickory. Upon retirement from the Toll Road, he was presented with the Sagamore of the Wabash Award for outstanding service to the state of Indiana.

Arthur was a member for First United Methodist Church in Hickory and First United Methodist Church in South Bend and an exemplary father to his two daughters.

He is survived by daughters, Carol B. Thinnes of Huntersville, N.C. and Mary B. (Gary) Conway of Greenfield and two granddaughters, Susan MacAleese and Lauren MacAleese.

The family will receive friends from 7-8:30 p.m. on Sunday evening, Jan. 3, 2016, at Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday Jan. 4, 2016, in the chapel at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Will Posey officiating. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery. Mr. Benish will lie-in-state 30 minutes prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Catawba Regional Hospice 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658 or First United Methodist Church, 311 Third Avenue NE, Hickory, NC 28601.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory is serving the family of Arthur Allen Benish and on-line condolences may be sent to www.bass-smithfuneralhome.com