Paul E. Benner, age 79, passed away January 10, 2013 while at his home in Prescott, Arizona. Paul was born March 29, 1933 in Allentown, PA to Edwin B. Benner and Meda W. Erdman from Sumneytown, PA. Paul was the youngest of three children and spent his entire childhood in Sumneytown. He is a graduate of Upper Perkiomen High School in East Greenville, PA and Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, PA where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1956. Paul married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Joan Snyder, of East Greenville, PA, on September 17, 1960 in Valley Forge, PA. They enjoyed 52 years of marriage, traveling and living in numerous locations throughout the United States and abroad in Australia and Mexico. Paul had many interests and enjoyed outdoor activities including hunting, fishing and boating.
Paul had a very successful 40-year career with Alcoa, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began his career in Massena, New York and held key domestic assignments managing property, purchasing, construction and the environment in Bauxite, AR; Pittsburgh, PA; NASH International in Charlotte, NC; and Los Angeles, CA. His expertise was also highly recognized internationally for his contributions to Alcoa’s overseas expansion efforts in Surinam, Jamaica, Brazil, and Mexico, and Kwinana and Pinjarra, Australia often during challenging conditions in the 1960s and 1970s. Most notably he was President of ALCOMEX in Mexico City, Mexico from 1978-1981. The pinnacle of his career was serving as President of Texas Engineered Products Company (TEPCO, an Alcoa subsidiary), in El Paso, TX.
During his retirement years, Paul was active in his Prescott, AZ community volunteering for the Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission (PAWUIC) including serving as the Vice Chairman where he was recognized as Volunteer-of-the-Year for his work on fire prevention and education. He was also the President of his neighborhood homeowners association. In addition, Paul was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Prescott Chapter and fraternal order, Freemasonry.
Paul is survived by his wife, Patricia J. Benner, of Prescott, Arizona and their three children and eight grandchildren: Joanne Home (her husband, Douglas) and their three children Cameron, Lindsey, and Alec of Moraga, CA; Edward Benner (his wife Christine) and their two children Sara and Rachel of Rowlett, TX and Robert (his wife Gretchen) and their three children Courtney, Megan, and Ryan of McKinney, TX. He is also survived by his sister, Julia Westley, of Macungie, PA.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, PFC Edwin E. Benner who served in the U.S. Army and was killed in action during WWII.
He will live in our hearts forever.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday January 19, 2013 at First United Methodist Church in McKinney, TX followed by a graveside service at Ridgeview Memorial Park, Allen, TX. Family and friends are invited to the funeral home at their convenience on Friday, January 18, 2013 to pay their respects and to sign the register book.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Paul's name at the following organizations:
Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission (PAWUIC)
(http://www.pawuic.org/index.htm)
PAWUIC
c/o Emergency Management
1100 Commerce Drive
Prescott, AZ 86305
(memo: Paul Benner Memorial Fund)
Lung Cancer Research, American Cancer Society.
(https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/donateonlinenow/index)