12/31/2025
Sherry Pruden Benson battled Alzheimer's Disease for the past six years with grace and love at her residence here on Earth. Recently, she began telling her loved ones that she wanted to go to her eternal home. Like all battles with that terrible disease, there were no winners. But, on Christmas Day, she finally got her last wish, passing comfortably with dignity and aplomb at the Heartford House in Owensboro, KY.
Sherry was born on August 25, 1947, in Henderson, to the late Morris “Buck” Pruden and Virginia (Heppler) Pruden. This was an indisputable fact for over 50 years until an eagle-eyed customs agent in the Bahamas noticed that her birth certificate actually had her birthdate as August 23rd. Luckily, the snafu was forgiven and she was allowed to come back into the country. It became another story to tell and laugh at in a lifetime that was filled with laughs and smiles.
Her birth certificate aside, she was born with a preternatural instinct and ability to take care of others. She changed people’s lives for the better her entire life as a loving daughter, sister, roommate, wife, mother, aunt, friend and boss. Sherry spent the first year of her career as a Home Economics teacher. A year later she transitioned into the position of School Food Service Director in the Owensboro Public Schools, making sure that every child felt special and had a nutritious and delicious meal in their belly. After she retired, she found that there was still work to be done and more children to help. She became the nutrition director of Hager Preschool, volunteered in special needs classrooms around Owensboro and was a consultant with the National Food Service Management Institute serving another generation of young children, both locally and nationally.
Sherry and her husband Jim enjoyed riding motorcycles when they were first married, but when children entered her world, she stopped riding. Once the kids were grown up and off on their own, Jim convinced her to start riding again slowly. Eventually, they traveled to the lower 48 states of America on a 2004 Harley Davidson Road Glide, no doubt a little above the speed limit.
She enjoyed cooking, spending time with her many friends and scouring the classifieds for estate and garage sales. She collected antiques, oddities and sometimes good old-fashioned junk, but she always found it at a bargain price.
If you are reading this, Sherry probably cared, cooked or fought for you. It is what she did. Even when Alzheimer’s affected her brain and memory, her body still innately tried to help out and make sure everything was ok. She still began most sentences with “How is…” even when words and thoughts became hard and few.
Sherry is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Jim Benson, who took pain-staking care of her during her battle with Alzheimer’s. She is also survived by her son, Lafe Benson, her daughter, Brittany Cobb and her sister, Jodi Pruden. She was a loving grandmother and aunt to Giles Cobb, Maya Benson, Everett Benson, Knox Benson and Reed Pruden.
A celebration of life will be held on January 19th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Acacia Room at 2803 W. Parrish Ave. Owensboro, KY. This celebration will include wonderful memories in a semi-casual environment. A short service will begin at 3:45 pm to be followed by a meal.
Expression of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the OPS Student Nutrition Program in care of The Foundation for Excellence, Owensboro Independent Schools. 450 Griffith Avenue, Owensboro KY, 42301 or Hospice of Western Ky. 3419 Wathen’s Crossing, Owensboro, KY 42301.
Care entrusted to Cardinal Cremation Society.
