Betty Benson

Betty Benson, the bookkeeper and baton twirler, nicknamed P-38 Lightning because she could outrun all the boys in high school, passed away from natural causes July 25, 2026, with her family, at Monument Health Hospital in Custer, S.D., at the age of 94. 
She grew up in Gothenburg, Neb., area and graduated from Gothenburg High School. She and her first husband, Lawrence Morrison, raised two sons in Salt Lake City, Utah and Denver, Colo.—Lawrence Jr. Morrison of Las Vegas, Nev., and Robert Morrison of Hot Springs, S.D. In partnership with her second husband, Harold Benson, they built a successful construction company in Grand Junction, Colo.
Survivors include a brother, John (Karla) Fecht of Cozad, Neb.; sisters, Vicki (Lawrence) Lutjemeyer of Syracuse, Neb., and Jody (Gary) Kotschar of Moorefield, Neb.; five grandchildren, Burk, Krista, Josephine, Sean and Angela; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Preceding her in death are her parents, Gerhardt and Viola (Jungren) Fecht; sister, Joann; and brothers, William, Ralph (Stan) and Ron Fecht.
Committal services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4 at Gothenburg Cemetery.
Arrangements have been placed in the care of Chamberlain McColley’s Funeral Home in Custer.