Dianne Benson

Dianne Benson, age 74, of Crookston, MN, died on Friday, October 8, 2021, at her home in Crookston.  A memorial service will be at 1:00 pm on Monday, October 18, 2021, at Stenshoel Houske Funeral Home in Crookston, with a visitation at Noon.

Dianne Rogers was born at Mercy Hospital in Thief River Falls, MN, on June 12, 1947, to Anna (Hendrickson) and Dwight Rogers. Dianne grew up in Fourtown, MN (rural Grygla area), where she attended Grygla Elementary and gained a deep appreciation of nature and the written word. In her four years at Goodridge High School, where she graduated in 1965, Dianne was a member of the National Honor Society and had read 234 books from the school library, nearly every book excepting Shakespeare and the Bible.

Dianne had worked in Minneapolis, MN., after high school as a secretary for NSP. On July 15, 1967, she was united in marriage to David Benson. Dianne and David eventually moved to Crookston MN in 1970, where they raised their two daughters Debra and Dawn. Dianne and David divorced in 1994, but in later years, regained their friendship and were there for each other in times when it mattered.

Dianne was the type of mom that made sure the kids had after school snacks of homemade cookies and treats. Many memories of playing Scrabble are etched into our minds. After the kids had grown, Dianne worked retail first at Ben Franklin until they closed; then at Fleet Supply in Crookston, until she retired due to health issues.

Dianne loved and was proud of her three grandchildren, seeing that they grew up into kind and caring young people. Even though she didn’t live close, throughout the years she sent care packages and cards with handwritten notes on birthdays and all the holidays, that always arrived just in time.

Dianne remained an avid reader her whole life and was a regular visitor of the Crookston Library. Dianne checked out and read a wide variety of books, including medical journals, spiritual books, fiction (especially Steven King), autobiographies and humor books (a particular favorite was Dave Barry).

Dianne is survived by her children Debra Mortenson of New London, MN; and Dawn (Andre) Benson-Hance of St. Cloud, MN; her brother Francis (Carol) Rogers of Bemidji, MN; and her grandchildren: Driel, Este, and V Mortenson, all of New London, MN.

She was predeceased by her mother, Anna Rogers and her father, Dwight Rogers.