Tom Benson

Dr. Tom Benson was born at home on Jefferson Street in San Angelo, Texas on the night of January 17, 1929. His mother was Gladys Martin Benson and his father was William Thomas (Bill) Benson. Tom had two siblings, Cindy Ferguson who survives him in Dallas and Russell who is deceased. Dr. Benson met the love of his life in his college years and married Sylvia "Hootie" Rutledge July 7, 1950. Hootie has been his partner thru life plus the poverty of three years of Veterinary School. Hootie also gave their marriage the gift of two beautiful children, Taylor Benson and his wife Terri of South Texas and Charlotte Koch and her husband Richard of St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Benson attended Texas A&M University from September 1946 to June 1953 when he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. He was in "D" Company Infantry. Dr. Benson practiced small animal Veterinary Medicine in Houston forty-seven years, mostly in the Memorial area. He loved his work. He loved the animals and he loved the people who brought them. He told young people who were interested in becoming a Vet, "If you don't like people, don't be a Vet; in all my years of practice I haven't had a single Tomcat walk in alone and ask to be "fixed". Dr. Benson is a life member of the American Veterinary Association, the Texas Veterinary Association, the Harris County Veterinary Association and the American Animal Hospital Association. Dr. Benson loved mentoring youngsters. Several Veterinarians in the Houston area started by working for Dr. Benson and his partners Dr. Charles Saxe and Dr. Mike Brasher. Dr. Benson was a Boy Scoutmaster for two different troops and since his retirement he has tutored first graders in reading. Tom had a wonderful sense of humor - he loved a joke and loved to tell stories. He will be sorely missed by his family and his friends. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. January 19, 2015 at Fairmount Cemetery. For more information contact Robert Massie Funeral Home, (325) 655-8121. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Salvation Army.