Benson

Anna "Anne" Popovich Benson, 86, of Butler died Thursday afternoon, with her family at her bedside.

Born Aug. 17, 1919, in Butler, she was the daughter of Michael and Anna Danko Popovich.

She was a 1937 graduate of Butler High School and earned her registered nursing degree in 1941 from the Butler Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

A veteran of the U.S. Nursing Corps during World War II, she entered the service July 15, 1942, and was discharged March 6, 1946, with the rank of first lieutenant. She served in the Pacific Theatre of War in the Philippines, New Guinea, and Australia.

She was proud of her Army career and having served her country during the war.

She worked as a dedicated nurse at the Butler Veterans Afairs Medical Center for 26 years until her retirement in 1981.

Mrs. Benson was a member of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora, where she was a member and past president of the Ladies Guild and was a former member of the church choir.

She was an avid sports fan and enjoyed traveling and gardening.

Anne was completely devoted to her family.

Surviving are a sister, Mary Popovich of Butler; three daughters, Rayanne Welsch and her husband, Barry, and Susan Moulayianis and her husband, Charles, all of Butler, and Lisa Cook and her husband, David, of Harrisville; a son, Raymond F. Benson II and his wife, Becki, of Butler; and nine grandchildren, Beth Swartout and her husband, Adam, both of Reston, Va., Amy Welsch of Vienna, Va., Nathan Moulayianis of Wilmington, N.C., Gregory Welsch and his wife, Meghan, both of Washington, D.C., Krista Moulayianis of Munhall, Levi Benson of Renfrew, Lucas Benson and Bethany Benson, both of Butler, and Matthew Benson of London.

Also surviving are four great-grandchildren, Cayla, Hunter, Braden, and Alison.

Mrs. Benson was preceded in death by an infant son, Michael H. Benson, and by her former husband, Raymond Benson.

<B>BENSON </B>— Friends of Anna "Anne" Popovich Benson, who died Thursday, May 4, 2006, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham Street. Parastas services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, 105 Kohler Ave., Lyndora, celebrated by the Rev. Dennis Bogda. Burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.