Alfred "Tufffy" Benson

Click here to view the memorial video.Alfred B. “Tuffy” Benson, 83, of Wakefield, Nebraska passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, at his home in Wakefield, Nebraska. Funeral services for Alfred will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2008, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Wakefield with the Rev. Terry Buethe officiating. A visitation will be held on Friday from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Bressler~Munderloh Funeral Home in Wakefield, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. The Family will be present at the visitation from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Interment will be in the Wakefield City Cemetery with Military honors. Tuffy was born on October 5, 1925, in Wakefield, the son of Carl and Maria (Hoenish) Benson. He graduated from Wakefield High School, and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1944. He served in San Diego and in the Asiatic/Pacific area. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He married Arlene “Tootie: Boock on September 28, 1944 in Wakefield while on leave from the military. Tuffy began work with his father-in-law in a tavern on Main St. in Wakefield, later owning and operating a hotel and then a motel (The T and T Motel) just north of Wakefield. He is best known, however, as working for the Postal Service as a Rural Mail Carrier for many years. He served on the City council in Wakefield, and also served a term as Mayor. He was also a member of the local VFW and the American Legion Post. He loved sports and served as a referee for many of the High School athletic events. He also loved hunting (especially setting traps), fishing, going to stock car races and the casino. Tuffy is survived by his wife, Arlene (Tootie) of Wakefield, sons: Randall and his wife Judy of Spokane, Washington; Vaughn and his wife Julie of Winnebago, Nebraska; and Mike and his wife Sandy of Wakefield, Nebraska. He is also survived by six grandchildren two step grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and one step great grandchild. Tuffy was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Carl, Albert, and Gilbert and two sisters, Evelyn Jones, and Maryann Lundin.