JoAnne Bensley

JOANNE BENSLEY

Hickory Creek, Texas

JoAnne Bensley, 81, of Hickory Creek, Texas, passed away on Feb. 22, 2021. She was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Clayton and Dorothy (Smith) Black on July 13, 1939.

JoAnne attended Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, graduating in 1960. She married Harold L. Brown in 1961 and lived in Marion, Iowa, for several years while raising their two daughters, Laurie and JoLynn. JoAnne later married Phillip Bensley in 1975, residing in Cedar Rapids prior to moving to Texas in 2015 to be closer to her daughter, Laurie. JoAnne had a love and passion for animals as well as the elderly throughout her life. She worked in nursing homes as an Oral Med Tech and as an independent caregiver to those who needed additional help. JoAnne loved her family and enjoyed visiting with them as much as possible.

JoAnne is survived by her daughter, Laurie Garcia (David); stepsons, Scott Bensley (Michelle) and Brian Bensley (April); stepdaughter, Tracy Bensley; brother, Ralph Shaw (Marilyn); sister-in-law, Joyce Black; close family member, David Bain (Beth); six granddaughters and four grandsons, as well as nine great-grandchildren. JoAnne was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Jolynn Brown; husband, Phillip Bensley; former husband, Harold Brown; her mother and father; her Aunt Clara and Uncle Harold Bain, who cared for JoAnne for many years as a child; brothers, Clayton Black and Stanley Shaw; and sister. Mary Stewart.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Chapel of DeBerry Funeral Directors in Denton, Texas. A graveside service will be held at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas, on March 10, 2021, at 1:15 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in her memory to Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids.