Virginia Hall Benton

Virginia Hall Benton, 93, who held a number of executive positions in the

nonprofit healthcare field in Columbus, died of complications from Alzheimer’s on Wednesday, March 17, 2010. She had been a Columbus resident for 50 years, before moving to Bethesda, Maryland in 2000, to be near her son and his family. In her last position, Mrs. Benton served as Executive Director of the Ohio Society to Prevent Blindness (now Prevent Blindness Ohio) from 1973-1984. Under her watch, the organization became a leader among the National Society to Prevent Blindness’ system of affiliates across the country. Prior to that, she served as Public Relations Director for the United Appeal and United Community Council for Greater Columbus, from 1966-1972; Public Relations Director for the Ohio State Heart Association, 1962-1966; and Assistant Executive Director of the Tuberculosis Society of Columbus and Franklin County, 1949-1962. During her years at the helm for the Tuberculosis Society, that organization achieved the highest per capita contribution level of any tuberculosis association throughout the United States. Virginia was born on May 29, 1916 in Topsham, Maine, the daughter of Walter Stone and Elizabeth (Smith) Hall. She graduated from the University of Maine in 1938, with honors and numerous awards in English. She married Norton Byron Benton, a Columbus native, in 1939. Her husband, after serving in World War II, subsequently died suddenly in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1948. Mrs. Benton along with her young son moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1949, to be near her husband’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul B. Benton, who lived on the Hilltop in Columbus. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Patricia Benton, of Bethesda, Maryland; and four grandchildren, Brandon Norton Benton, Darren Burton Benton, Brooke Hall Benton, and Dawn Maya Benton, each of whom is attending schools and universities around the United States. Memorial Service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 24, 2010 at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST CHAPEL, 1740 Zollinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221 with Rev. James Long officiating. Private interment Sunset Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Prevent Blindness Ohio, 1500 West Third Avenue; Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43212.