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Deceased 2011
Benson, Peter Lorimer Age 65, of Minnetonka, passed away on Oct. 2, 2011 with his adoring family by his side. Known worldwide as a leading authority on positive human development, Peter cared deeply about helping kids realize their full potential. As president of Search Institute in Minneapolis since 1985, he pioneered research and community outreach programs now used around the globe to help youth thrive. He devoted much of his "free" time to supporting related work, including serving on the boards of America's Promise, the John Templeton Foundation, Inner City Tennis, the Minnesota Children's Museum, the Center for Victims of Torture, and the National League of Cities' Institute for Youth. Peter was beloved by friends and colleagues far and wide, remembered as an incredibly compassionate man who saw the good in everyone and everything. He appreciated the simple gifts in each day, from a walk through the woods to cuddling on the couch with his grandsons. Peter was, most importantly, a beloved husband, sibling, dad and grandpa who's absence creates a gaping hole in our hearts. He is survived by his life partner Tunie Munson-Benson, daughter Liv, son Kai, son-in-law Brad, grandsons Ryder and Truman, brother Robert (Noreen), sister Ann and a large extended family. He is preceded in death by parents John and Dorothy Benson. A celebration of Peter's life will be held at 2 pm on Monday, Oct. 10 at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Ave. in Minneapolis. Please make memorial contributions payable to Search Institute in support of the Peter Benson Sparks Fund, created to further his desire to help kids discover and define their innate gifts and passions. www.search-institute.org
Published in Star Tribune from October 6 to October 9, 2011
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John Hegberg
John,
I'm writing to let you know that Peter Lorimer Benson, class of 1964, died on October 2, 2011 from colon cancer. In addition to being a classmate, Peter was my cousin-in-law; he introduced me to his cousin, Kent Eklund, one of our first days at Augustana. Pete and Kent were two weeks apart in age and lifelong friends. If you'd like more details about Peter's life, you can find them on CaringBridge.
The memorial service was held Monday, October 10, 2011 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. Peter and Tunie lived in Wayzata, MN and have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Katherine (Anderson) Eklund
Robert Holmgren
Around 2006 my wife, who at the time was an executive at a large non-profit, came home from work and said she had just given a ride to the airport for someone I went to school with--Peter Benson. At the time Peter was running an organization called The Search Institute and they, along with my wife's organization, were working on a joint project. During the ride to the airport Pete mentioned that high school in Rockford had been difficult for him because he had moved from another city and had a difficult time making friends. At this point I said to my wife that it couldn't have been that difficult since he became the class president.
As the project developed Pete traveled back to the San Francisco Bay Area several times and my wife traveled to The Search Institute in Minneapolis. The culmination of this project was the formation of a new organization that kicked off with a large dinner in a hotel ballroom. My wife was given the task of introducing Peter Benson to the assembled dinners, and for that she asked me to scan photos of him from the 1964 Argus yearbook to show during the introduction along with the backstory of how Pete and her husband went to the same high school as well as his story of being the class president while feeling he was unpopular. Shortly after this I learned of his health problems and eventual passing. I'm sorry we didn't reconnect. I hear that he was highly thought of and respected in his field.