Olga A. Benson
...of Tewksbury, lifelong Girl Scout; 75
TEWKSBURY - Olga A. (Nawn) Benson, age 75, died Sunday morning, December 18, at her
Tewksbury residence, following a long battle with cancer. She was the wife of Henry A. “Hank”
Benson, with whom she had celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary this past February 19th.
She was born in South Boston on July 18, 1930, a daughter of the late Theodore and Alice
(Schuster) Nawn. She was raised in South Boston, but resided throughout the U.S. and Europe
as the wife of a career Army soldier. She enjoyed a lifelong association with the Girl Scouts of
America, and was especially active with Girl Scouts in France and Germany during her residency
in Europe.
She was lovingly described by her spouse as having devoted her life to her family.
Besides her husband, she is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, Alice Keith of
Leominster, and Dorothy “Dotti” McDermott and her husband Michael of Tewksbury; three
brothers and sisters-in-law, George Nawn and his wife Martha of Chelmsford, Thomas Nawn and
his wife Mary of Tewksbury, Stephen “Skip” Nawn and his wife Madeline of FL; six
grandchildren, John Henry Zipps of East Hampton, MA, Christina Fleury of Peabody, Roger
Benson of Amesbury, Theresa and Michael McDermott both of Tewksbury, and Eric McDermott
of Lowell; two great grandchildren, Alice and Shauna; and many nieces and nephews.
She was also sister of the late Larry Nawn.
Her Funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, Dec. 21, in St. William’s Church,
Tewksbury. from 4 to 7 p.m. in the funeral home. Interment was in
St. Mary’s Cemetery, No. Tewksbury. Memorials to the Merrimack Valley
V.N.A. Hospice, 360 Merrimack St., Bldg. 9, Lawrence, MA 01843, will be appreciated.