Plan for the Future
Mary Benton, a long-time resident of Chatham, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 30, 2021. She was 91.
Mary Louise Trumble Benton was born in Summit, New Jersey, to William Joseph Trumble and Clare Eugenia Trumble, née Cahill, of Short Hills, New Jersey. She was a 1948 graduate of Millburn High School. After high school, Mary was employed by Chubb & Son, where she met her husband, Jesse W. Benton, Jr. Mary and Jesse made their home in the Chathams, raising their family first in the Borough of Chatham and later in the Township. Mary was a resident of Chatham for sixty-four years.
A devoted wife and mother, Mary, along with Jesse, were mainstays of the Chatham Emergency Squad for nearly a quarter-century. In everything they did, Mary and Jesse were a team, particularly on “The Squad”. Mary was also active in Chatham TWIG and the board of The Library of The Chathams.
In her spare time, Mary enjoyed gardening, decorating her home, taking care of her beloved dogs and cats, and traveling to visit her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren throughout the country.
In addition to her husband, Jesse, Mary was predeceased by her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Benton, brother, Robert Gerald Trumble, and Daughter, Pamela Lee Benton Vandermark. She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Benton De Freitas, of Boynton Beach, Fl, her son, Jesse W. Benton III (Edie), of Chatham, NJ, eight grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private, with Mary being laid to rest beside her husband, Jesse, in Danville, VA. Arrangements by Townes Funeral Home, Danville, VA. Donations in Mary’s memory may be made to the Chatham Emergency Squad, Chatham, NJ.
