Dr. Robert M. Benton

Dr. Robert M. BENTON, Emeritus Professor of English, CWU Age 75. WA resident since 1967. Died Aug. 22, 2007 from intracerebral hemorrhage. BA Trinity, San Antonio, MA, PhD U Colorado. Academic career spanned 45 years at U Colorado, U Washington and CWU. Professional memberships in ASLE, AAUP, John Steinbeck Society, MLA, PNASA, Phi Kappa Phi, WLA. Publications included many refereed articles, essays, book reviews, conference papers read. He received four NEH Summer Seminar Awards among his many honors. He was the State Consultant for the 2002 NEH Steinbeck Centennial Awards. His research interests were many and diverse. Robert was greatly loved, a respected scholar and always a gentleman. Above all he was a teacher and his legacy is the hundreds of students he taught and mentored. Before his untimely death, he served on the UWRA board, volunteered at Discovery Park and the Burke Museum, gardened at Haller Lake P-Patch, was an avid birder, was active in local environmental organizations, a precinct worker, and enthusiastic student of Edward DeVere's (aka Shakespeare) plays and sonnets with the Shakespeare Oxford Society of Seattle. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Becky, his sister, Helen and husband, Russ (FL), his brother, Don (TX) and mother-in-law, Georgie (TX). No services are planned. Remembrances may be made to the CWU Foundation, P-Patch Foundation, Burke Museum or 46th District Democrats. Arrangements by the People's Memorial Funeral Cooperative.