Richard David Benson

With extreme sadness, we share the passing of Richard David Benson (54) in Round Rock, TX on Sunday, August 23, 2026, due to a rare and unexpected saddle pulmonary embolism. He lived his life with complete devotion to his family. He was never without a joke and always working on a new project to make the lives of those around him easier.

Rich was born on September 3, 1971, in Schenectady, NY, and was the son of David and Jan Benson. He grew up in Kentwood, MI with his two siblings. He graduated from Western Michigan University Haworth College of Business in 1994 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing and Finance. Rich earned his Master’s degree (MBA) in Business Administration and Marketing from DePaul Driehaus College of Business in 1998. After receiving his undergrad, Rich worked at Molex in Lisle, IL and Manchester, New Hampshire, working in roles across Inside Sales, Sales Engineering and Business Development. For the majority of his career, he worked as a product manager in the electronic components industry with Molex for 22 years and later at Panduit in Tinley Park, IL for 8 years. Most recently he transitioned to a new industry as product development lead at WilsonArt in Temple, TX.

It was at Molex that Rich met the love of his life, Elaine, who also worked for Molex. They met over the phone and there was an instant spark. A late-night email led to an all-night phone call and the rest was history. As their connection grew, Rich was offered a new role at Molex back in Lisle, IL where Elaine worked. Rich accepted the new role with the ulterior motive of being closer to Elaine. And that motive remained the guiding principle of his life, as long as he was around Elaine, he was happiest. After two years of dating, they married at a beautiful outdoor ceremony on August 11, 2001 and moved to Aurora, IL where they raised their three children.

If you knew Rich, you knew fun and laughter. His kindness, warmth and laugh drew people to him, and his specialty was creating an inside joke with everyone he met.

Rich was a guardian angel to many and showed up in people’s lives as an eager helper. Maybe better put, Rich was a guardian handy man to many. Rich was eager to help and always curious to learn. He didn’t let a job go unfinished and had a clear vision to articulate on why the approach he took was optimal, cost efficient and easy to replicate if you were ever to have to do it again. He made sure you knew how it worked but assured you he would be happy to help again if needed.

After over 25 years of raising their family in Illinois, Rich and Elaine moved to Round Rock, TX in 2024 and Rich became obsessed with the ways of Texas. He loved living in a warmer climate and told everyone he felt semi-retired simply because of the Texas weather and more relaxed lifestyle they now shared. His happiest moments in Texas were enjoying a morning iced coffee on the back porch watching the hummingbirds with Elaine, having margaritas with friends at Mama Betty’s, and exploring different parts of Austin.

This August, Rich and Elaine celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a week-long trip to Aruba. He was proud of the life they had built together, and their vacation was a beautiful celebration of all the love and laughter they shared. They had a memorable time together relaxing at the resort, enjoying sunset dinners, and interacting with the various birds of the island. His family will continue to think of him when they see a beautiful sunset, as those were his favorite.

Rich loved his life and his family was his highest priority. He was incredibly proud of his kids and loved being their dad. He was the family problem solver and was always quick to answer a call to provide advice on electronics, cars, or life problems to his three kids and two sons-in-law. He loved relaxing on family vacations together and visiting college campuses during dad’s weekends to spend time with his kids. He was dependable, consistent, well-intentioned, intelligent, curious, and kind. Rich made a deliberate effort to be present in the lives of those he loved, and any time spent with his family, specifically moments with his wife, brought him tremendous joy. His family will miss him beyond belief.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 25 years, Elaine (Dobrowski) Benson, and three children Katie (Andrew Michelotti) Benson, Megan (Collin Pogue) Benson, Eric Benson, and pets Rey and Missy. He also leaves his mother, Jan (Bradt) Benson; his brother, Bill Benson, niece Avery and nephew Jack; his sister Patricia (Sean) Affrica and his nieces Ashley and Lexie; mother-in-law Patricia Dobrowski; father-in-law Norman Dobrowski; his cousin Nancy (Bradley) Moser and their children Luke, Zack, and Brianna. He was preceded in death by his father, David Benson, and newborn child, Mark.

His absence will be deeply felt. However, the love he gave, the laughter and jokes he shared, the determination he exhibited, and the relationships he treasured will remain part of his legacy.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests any memorials made in Rich’s memory be directed to Elaine Benson. A private family visitation was held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home (1200 S Bagdad Rd, Leander, TX 78641).