OBITUARY

John Scott "Jack" Benscoter, retired carpenter and cattle rancher, passed away suddenly Saturday, July 1, 2017. A Memorial Service will be Thursday at 2:00 pm at the Evangelical Free Church of the Palouse, 4812 Airport Road, Pullman. Jack was born October 25, 1927 in Kendrick, Idaho to Walter and Ernestine (Callison) Benscoter. Jack was the first born and in an attempt to get him a brother, his mother would give birth to seven sisters. He attended grade school on American Ridge and graduated from Kendrick high school in 1945. He attended the University of Idaho where he lettered in cross country track and was also a member of the TKE Fraternity. The draft was beginning to get closer, so he enrolled in the Navy and was called up in December, 1945. He was sent to San Diego, California for hospital training as a pharmacy mate. He later was stationed at the US Naval Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and later at Pensacola, Florida in the Naval Air Station. After completing his tour of duty in December 1947, he enlisted in the Naval Reserves. Jack was called back into active duty on January 3, 1951 for the Korean Conflict. He was stationed with the Marine Air Corps, in El Toro, California. He was attached to the Marine Fighter Squadron VMF312 at Pohang, Korea. Jack was honorably discharged May 2, 1952. Jack worked on Washington and Oregon cattle ranches for several years.

He married Molly Staley of Pullman at her parents' home on April 12, 1953. They lived in LaCrosse, WA and later in Pullman. In 1958 they purchased a ranch in Stevensville, Montana and raised and showed purebred Herefords. He later managed cattle feedlots and cow and calf operations in Prosser, WA and Chowchilla, CA until 1964 when they returned to Pullman to work with their cattle and those of his mother-in-law, Mrs. L.C. Staley. In 1967 he was employed at Washington State University and worked for many years as a carpenter until his retirement in 1988. Jack served as director in several livestock organizations and also as President of the Top Cut Hereford Show and Sale in Missoula, Montana, the Lewiston Hereford Association and the Northwest Hereford Breeders Sale in Spokane. Jack volunteered for the MS swim program at WSU, delivered Meals-on-Wheels and drove for Council on Aging Senior Transportation, helped with the annual MS Walk in Clarkston, volunteered at the Pullman Regional Hospital and was a member of the VFW and American Legion.

Jack attended the Evangelical Free Church and he enjoyed flowers and gardening, especially grafting many different apples on trees. He also enjoyed fishing, sports, traveling and studying genealogy. In June 1992, Jack and his wife started on the project of moving and then restoring the 1889 home of her great-grandparents into a family museum to preserve family and area historical items. Jack and Molly worked nearly every day for over two years and have preserved many family and area historical items in the museum. They also liked to snowbird in St. George, Utah and have met many new friends there over the winters.

Jack is survived by his wife of 64 years, Molly, at their Pullman home; a daughter, Terri Benscoter of Pullman; a son, David Benscoter of Chattaroy, WA.; 5 grandchildren, 4 great-grandsons, and 2 great-granddaughters and by 4 sisters, Wilma Greene, Lewiston, ID., Priscilla Armitage, Kendrick, ID., Diane Dupea, Moscow, ID., and Judy Erwin, Bruneau, ID. He was preceded in death by 3 sisters, Jorene Hoisington, Nita Webster, and Mary Beth McCall.

The family suggests memorials be given to the Whitman County Historical Society, P.O. Box 67, Colfax, WA. 99111 On-line guest book is at www.kimballfh.com Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman is caring for the family.