Martin Benham

Marty Benham of Fort Collins, Colorado, died Monday, August 11, 2008 at the age of 81. Martin Noble Benham was born November 28, 1926 in Princeton, N. J.. He attended Princeton Day School and later, the Taft School in Waterbury, Conn. He entered Princeton University in 1944 and entered the U. S. Army Air Corps in 1945. Marty received his basic training at Chanute Field in Illinois. Following his discharge in 1946, Marty enrolled at the University of Illinois at Champagne where he graduated with degrees in geology and political science. He then embarked on a 30 year civil service career serving as a park ranger with the National Park Service and later with the Bureau of Land Management. His time as a park ranger was highlighted with duties at Mt. Ranier, Everglades and Yellowstone. Most notably, Marty was an elite climbing ranger based out of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park where he participated in numerous high mountain rescues and recoveries. He met his future wife, Bertie Howald at Grand Teton in 1954. They were married in April of 1955 and their son Blake was born in Cody, Wyo. Their second son, Jeff, was born in Enumclaw, Washington. Marty completed his career with the Bureau of Land Management, where he spent 15 years based out of the Idaho Falls, Idaho regional district office. He retired to Fort Collins in 1984 where he and Bertie enjoyed several travel adventures to the far northern reaches of Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Most of all, Marty enjoyed their local friends and family, his friends at Senior Fitness and their summers at the cabin in Jackson Hole. Marty is preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include Bertie, his wife of 53 years, his sons Blake and Jeff (Bonnie) and grandchildren Andy and Zoey all of Ft. Collins as well as his brother, Robert B. Benham of Auburn, NY. A backyard celebration will be held beginning at 10:30 am Saturday, August 16th at Jeff and Bonnie's home at 1523 Peterson St., Ft. Collins. A reception will follow. Marty's family requests that any memorial donations please be made, in lieu of flowers, to the Wilderness Society c/o Goes Funeral Care, 3665 Canal Dr., Ft. Collins, CO 80524.