Ernest Charles Benn
1942-2025
Ernest Charles Benn passed away at the Aspirus Hospital in Palliative care on Sunday, March 16, 2025. Ernie was born on Oct. 24, 1942, in Medford to parents Ernest August and Ruth Lillian (Leffel) Benn. Ernie was 82 at passing. Ernie grew up in Medford on the family dairy farm and went to Mathey Grade School and then graduated from Medford High School in 1960. After graduating, Ernie joined the U.S. Navy stationed at the Naval Weapons Station in Yorktown, Va. He was trained at the guided missile school at Dam Neck, Va., specializing on Talos missiles which were surface to air missiles (SAM). Ernie spent three years in the Navy but was never deployed on a ship. He finished with the Navy as a Missile Technician 2nd Class Petty Officer (E5).
After the Navy, Ernie spent two quarters taking classes at Milwaukee School of Engineering before taking a job at Allis Chalmers Corporation in Union Grove, Il., test-driving tractors. He then worked for Milwaukee Transformer Corporation as a test technician. When Ernie’s father passed in 1965, he returned to Medford to assist on the family farm. The farm was sold a year later and the family moved to Wausau to be close to his mother and her sisters. In 1966 Ernie joined IBM in Janesville, fixing various machines and attending various IBM schools.
On Feb. 4, 1967, Ernie married the love of his life, Mary Faye (Mushel) Benn. Ernie and Mary’s sons, Eric and Tim, were born in Janesville. Ernie was then transferred by IBM to work in their Bloomington, Ill., office. At that time the family lived in Heyworth, Ill., and that is where his third son Dan was born. During the family’s time in Heyworth, IBM sent Ernie to attend month-long training schools in various cities such as Endicott – N.Y., Raleigh – N.C., Boulder – Colo., and Bloomington, Minn. After almost 10 years in Ill., Ernie requested a transfer back to Wisc., and the family relocated to Kronenwetter. Other than a few years relocating back to Medford, Ernie and Mary spent their remaining years happy together in Kronenwetter.
Ernie is remembered by his family as hard working, never one to complain, and dedicated to his family. Ernie loved working with electronics, hunting, spending time up north fishing with other IBM retirees, HAM radio operation and being with his family. Dad especially enjoyed participating in the Honor Flight to Washington D.C. with his brother Charlie Benn in Sept. 2023. Ernie had a sense of humor, was quick to laugh and always had a good joke to share. We still laughed even though sometimes he would repeat the same jokes over and over. And some jokes were not actually that good... There were several summers of the family vacationing to Grace Lake in Bemidji, Minn., that were fondly remembered. Who can forget the crazy home-made antennae’s and towers that adorned our yards for his HAM radio? Or the fact that he built his own computer from scratch (including soldering his own circuit boards) before home computers were even in existence? Or the fun times we had on Halloween when Ernie would build various contraptions to scare trick-or-treaters? Ernie was always up for a round of cribbage, pool or playing the domino game “Chicken Foot.” Ernie had so much fun with his grandchildren. Whether trying to play tennis or croquet, or giving rides on the riding mower, Ernie enjoyed being a grandfather. Ernie also loved his church family and involvement at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kronenwetter. Ernie especially loved his two cats, Sassy and Willow. Both cats now reside in the loving care of Ernie’s sister-in-law, Julie (Bill) Mushel-Schiltz in Medford.
Ernie is survived by his sons, Eric (Susan) Benn, Tim (Becky) Benn, Dan (Kirsten) Benn; brother, Charlie Benn; sister, Charlene Krueger; sister-in-law, Julie (Bill) Mushel-Schiltz; nieces, nephews, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ernie was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Faye (Mushel) Benn; parents, Ernest August and Ruth Lillian (Leffel) Benn; brother-in-law, Lee Mushel; sister-in-law, Patricia Benn; nephew, Jason Benn; and niece, Jenny Hrebik.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 2 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 1901 Kowalski Rd., Kronenwetter, WI. Visitation is from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Service at 12 p.m. with luncheon at church to follow. Ernie will receive military honors as his ashes are interned at the Mosinee Cemetery after lunch.
John J. Buettgen Funeral Home is assisting the family at this time. Online condolences can be made at Honorone.com.
Paid Obituary 166608
